Consequences
by The nerdy librarian
Summary: Sequel to The Best Mistake. If Gin and Rangiku had been Toshiro's parents would anything stay the same?
1. Chapter 1

I intend to publish MWF. Everyday was nearly killer at the end, and this will give me more time to fix any errors if I make any major mistakes.

For those of you who read my previous story this begins before the final scene. I need to fill in the week between Aizen's exit and Gin's release from Division Four. Clearly things would have been happening.

This story is like the previous one in that it is Gin/Rangiku-centric so it will not be following the Ichigo-centric story arc of Bleach. I hope that will make it a more interesting read since you won't know what's coming. I do apologize for minimizing Ichigo's strength and significance though, but I think Ichigo has had his time to shine, and this is for those of us who wanted more Gin.

There will be quite a bit of focus on other side characters as well, especially in these first few chapters, but I will get back to Gin and Rangiku as quickly as I can manage. I just love them so much!

Finally, I have not read the manga. I will do my very best to remain faithful to canon, but please understand my source is the anime. I've read a few things online, but I may get things off here and there. I apologize ahead of time. Please just assume Gin's survival caused the universe to diverge and certain things ended up a little off :)

Anyway, I hope this is a fun read.

Enjoy :)

Hinamori Momo stared at her reflection in the mirror above her dresser. Captain Unohana had not wanted to let her go home, and she could see why. She looked terrible. She'd lost weight and her skin had grown pale. Her wide eyes were over-bright and her cheeks had a strange ruddy flush. She couldn't seem to entirely contain the stress and excitement tearing at her heart. She would have to try harder or everyone would be watching her constantly, thinking she was about to fall apart, but they didn't understand. None of them did. They saw how pale she had become, how thin her once round cheeks, and they thought she was suffering.

She wished she could explain the truth to Kira and Toshiro at least, and Renji, too, he was so worried about Rukia. They would all feel so much better if she could just let them know it was going to be alright, but not yet.

Her thin hand clasped hold of a letter her division's Third Seat had brought to her while she was still recovering at the Fourth. Thankfully, the Third Seat had not been deceived by everything that had happened. He had remained loyal to their captain, and had brought her the letter just as their captain had instructed. It was just the two of them now, although her captain promised there would be others later, other allies who even now were working in other parts of Soul Society to bring down a conspiracy so vast even Captain Aizen had not realized its true intentions or the extent of its power until it was too late for him to do anything but flee.

He had explained everything so clearly in his letter. She could almost feel the grief he felt over being forced to hurt her so that no one would realize she was still loyal to him. He had known Unohana was coming so she would not die, but still, to cause her so much pain-she was his loyal lieutenant, and he trusted her to understand. He put so much trust in her. She would do everything he asked perfectly. She would show him he had not made a mistake in choosing her. She was not like that two-faced snake, Ichimaru Gin, who even now was creating a new part for himself in the evil conspiracy. She would always be true to her captain. She was the only lieutenant Aizen Sosuke would ever need.


	2. Chapter 2

Three Days after Aizen's escape to Hueco Mundo

"All we are asking is justice," Kuchiki Akihiro said. His face was bowed to his hands in a gesture of supplication, and his words had been most respectful, but his entourage of a dozen of the highest ranking men in the Kuchiki and subordinate houses sent a very clear message. This was not a request.

Kuchiki Byakuya was not amused. By now these men should have realized he could not be bullied. He understood why they were upset; many of the eldest and most respected members of their houses had been murdered in the slaughter of Central 46. Akihiro's own father had died. "I assure you the apprehension of Aizen Sosuke is of prime importance to the Gotei 13. He will be brought in to stand trial for his crimes or he will die. There has been no suggestion of anything less."

Akihiro sat back, and the other men followed his example. "And what of Ichimaru Gin, his accomplice in these crimes? I have heard he admitted to murdering members of Central 46, and yet he is not to be charged for his crimes. Instead he will remain a captain! Where is the justice if my father's murderer walks free?"

Byakuya literally did not care what happened to Ichimaru. He had spent most of the past century ignoring the man and had every intention of continuing to do so for as long as the old man considered him worth keeping around. If the old man ever changed his mind, Byakuya would have no objection to killing Ichimaru, but he wouldn't volunteer for the job either; killing a man like Ichimaru was like killing a bug, not particularly enjoyable, but sometimes necessary.

He did not, however, appreciate someone in his house telling him what the Gotei should be doing about the sometimes traitor. Did they actually think he should let them tell him how to deal with the Gotei? Either as head of the house or as a captain? Even if he didn't have other things to worry about he was not going to bring their complaints to the old man, and as things stood now, he had one and only one issue of concern, and that was how to get Rukia back from Hueco Mundo.

"You give the servant far to much significance. Ichimaru was nothing more than a tool for Aizen's use. Now he belongs to Yamamoto. He is of no interest to me in either case--if you feel the need for his blood to avenge your father I will not stop you from exacting your own vengeance. It is within your rights."

Akihiro went slightly gray at the suggestion. He was no shinigami, none of the gathered men were, and only a few of them had reiatsu worth noting at all. Even if they took every guard they had and went together, any attempt they made to pay back Ichimaru would be nothing more than a very bloody way to commit suicide. "My lord, as head of the Kuchiki House--"

"As head of this house, I find Ichimaru Gin beneath my notice. I will be satisfied with nothing less than the blood of Aizen Sosuke."

It took a while longer to get rid of them entirely. If he had been paying attention Byakuya might have wondered at them being so worked up. It wasn't usual for the men of the Kuchiki family to express such anger and frustration. He might also have noticed they had more knowledge of the Gotei than they should have. The reasons Ichimaru Gin was under guard in the Fourth had not been made public. Officially Gin had been one of the heroes of the battle, severely injured by Aizen; not that the rumors of his double betrayal hadn't spread far and wide, but these men should not have known he had admitted to killing members of Central 46, but Byakuya was too distracted by a much more urgent and personal matter to notice.

"Enter," he commanded the moment the men had left.

Renji stepped in through the outside door where he had been waiting for most of the meeting.

"Had they heard anything?" Byakuya said, before Renji could complete his bow.

"Nothing, Captain, I'm sorry," Renji flinched at that last bit. That was way too much like acknowledging his captain had feelings, and he'd learned pretty thoroughly, during his time as Byakuya's lieutenant, that Kuchikis didn't have feelings; hearts were for lesser beings.

Byakuya stared straight ahead, his eyebrows drawn in only slightly. He was worried, and Renji knew it. Of course Renji was also worried which was why he'd visited the Shiba Estate in the first place. Gin had said there were three people Aizen might send news about Rukia: Byakuya, Renji himself, or Ichigo, so at the end of the day Renji had once again raced over to the Shiba Estate to speak to the human who was Shiba Kaien's guest.

"Ichigo wants to go to Hueco Mundo," Renji said. "He's talked to Yoruichi about it, and she told him she thought Urahara could manage it, even if the Gotei's against it."

"Kurosaki has no respect for the way things should be done," Byakuya answered coolly. "He would charge into a world he knows nothing about, without the strength or knowledge necessary to succeed, with only some childish idea of right on his side."

"Yeah," Renji agreed. That was exactly what Ichigo had done, and it had worked out a lot better than one could reasonably expect. If that was what Ichigo wanted to try in Hueco Mundo Renji was all for joining him, but he wasn't about to suggest his captain do the same. Byakuya would do things as they were supposed to be done, as he always did, but Renji had already decided that when Rukia's life was at stake there was nothing he wouldn't do.

As long as she was alive, only, "Ichimaru said we'd hear something, but it's been three days. Do you think Rukia's still--" he broke off, and his head dropped. His captain never approved of displays of emotion, even on Rukia's behalf.

Byakuya's eyes narrowed. "Aizen enjoys playing games to inflict mental anguish. Do not allow yourself to become another one of his victims," he answered, and Renji felt his captain's condemnation of his fears in his icy tone. He was surprised when Byakuya's next words were almost comforting. "He has most likely kept Rukia alive if only to taunt us with that fact."

"Yes, sir," Renji said, raising his head in surprise.

Byakuya's gaze shifted to his lieutenant for the first time. "Be assured, Rukia will come home. And Aizen Sosuke will pay for his insolence in using a Kuchiki as a pawn in his games."

Shiba Kaien did not have Byakuya's gift for extruding arrogant superiority from every pore, nor had he spent a lifetime training to be head of his family. He struggled in every one of his dealings with the Shiba family. Most of the time he figured it was fair; Kuchiki could handle his family seemingly without effort, but at least Kaien knew how to smile. However, there were times...

Kaien closed his eyes as yet another family elder demanded to know why Ichimaru Gin was not being tried for any crimes. He'd already told them he wasn't going to meddle in the Gotei's decision, told them at least a dozen times over, but they didn't listen. It was probably his own fault. He had a tendency to do whatever they told him to; it was usually the easier option. Miyako had told him more than once that he really had to lay down the law with the entire Shiba family or they were going to keep pushing them both around for the rest of their lives.

Easy for her to say; she was playing host to the Ryoka, not listening to her duty as defined by a bunch of five-hundred-plus year-old nobles with nothing better to do.

"Ichimaru Gin is the only reason Miyako is alive," he said, suddenly, interrupting Shiba Hidemitsu, the wealthiest member of the family, and the only member of the family council who'd been against Kaien's succession to Isshin.

It was commonly known Hidemitsu had wanted the position himself, but he had been blocked by another branch of the family who felt he already held too much power. He paid Kaien back by working people up at every opportunity. Kaien was fairly sure he was behind this particular meeting, although there were representatives from every branch present.

The silk-clothed nobleman paused and leveled Kaien with an icy gaze almost worthy of Byakuya himself. "Is that so?" the man asked, his tone thick with doubt. "And why has no one heard tell of this before? Surely we should have been informed if we owed anyone our gratitude for protecting our dear Lady Miyako."

"The incident was classified top secret at that time," Kaien answered. "Although recent events have rendered that classification unnecessary I have not had the opportunity to discuss with my captain exactly how much of the incident should now be shared publicly."

He watched the disapproving expression spread from Hidemitsu to most of the other men and women present. They did not like that their head was only a lieutenant of the Gotei, answerable to a captain, Ukitake Jushiro, who was, himself, only head of a very insignificant noble family. They'd known he was Ukitake's lieutenant when they appointed him, and as far as he could tell they all expected Ukitake to have the good grace to die so Kaien could take his place.

Their attitude disgusted him, and, although he always forced himself to swallow the desire to tell them exactly what he thought of them, it definitely did not help his mood.

"You will have to accept that I owe Ichimaru a debt of gratitude that I can never repay," he said, surprising even himself that Ichimaru would be where he'd draw the line with the family. Ichimaru deserved their hatred. He had murdered members of Central 46 and a great many others, as well, over the years. Their families were perfectly justified in calling for his blood. Kaien couldn't deny that, but knowing the position Ichimaru had been in he couldn't blame him. Even if he'd let Miyako die, it had been Aizen, not Ichimaru, behind everything. Aizen was the monster, even if Ichimaru was easy to hate. "If you cannot share my gratitude then you can at least understand I will not act against Ichimaru, and if any of you try to act against him yourselves I will stop you."

To say they looked shocked was an understatement. "You would protect a murderer from justice?" his elderly great-aunt Etsuko demanded, sounding truly distressed.

Miyako had warned him the old woman was tough as nails and played up her frail appearance to get her way, but Kaien had a hard time disagreeing with her even so. "I prefer mercy," he answered. "The same mercy he showed Miyako when Aizen had chosen her to die. It is what I owe him." Then, stealing a page out of Byakuya's book, he added, " It is what my honor requires."


	3. Chapter 3

Three days after Aizen's escape

Kira was only slightly less drunk than Hisagi. They had spent the past couple of nights commiserating over their traitorous captains, but with Gin officially cleared, and Kira trying not to be too obvious about his own celebrating, Hisagi had gone from miserable to despairing. It just figured that the most evil bastard in the Gotei had been playing them all.

Hisagi perked up slightly as another lieutenant stepped into the crowded sakaya, looking around. It was Hinamori Momo, and it occurred to him that as her captain had tried to murder her she might actually be feeling even more depressed than he was.

He waved at her, and she smiled back.

"Your girlfriend's here," Hisagi said.

"Who?" Kira asked, already too drunk to realize he was being teased. He turned around just as Hinamori tugged another woman into the crowded entry. Her dark coloring and brilliant orange clothing made her instantly identifiable, even though neither lieutenant had ever spoken to her before, the legendary flash master, Shihoin Yoruichi.

Kira's eyes went wide. "Is that--"

Hisagi wasn't listening. He was watching Yoruichi working her way through the crowd, dragging Hinamori along. The woman had an exquisite figure. She wasn't like Rangiku, moving like she was trying to attract every male eye in the room, but she was almost aggressively feminine. Hisagi felt like she was challenging every man who dared to look at her, like she was silently demanding to know if they really thought they were man enough to handle her, and his honest answer was no, probably not--and Nanao was going to kill him just for looking.

"I've gotta--"

"Hello, boys!" Yoruichi said, slamming her hand down on Hisagi's shoulder as he started to rise. "No bowing and no calling me Shihoin-dono, got that? Now scoot in. Momo claims you know how to drink."

Hinamori smiled at her fellow lieutenants a little sheepishly. "Yoruichi-sama said she wanted to see where everybody got together these days. You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not!" Kira said. He moved over quickly to make room for the women. "Please, join us."

Hinamori sat down in the space he'd made, but Yoruichi, with the evil instincts of a cat, seemed to realize Hisagi wanted to stay as far away from her as possible and dropped down onto the tatami right next to him. "How you doing, it's Shuhei-kun, yeah?"

"Yes, ma'am, Yoruichi-sama," he said, leaning back as she lunged across him to grab his bottle of sake.

She took an enormous chug and exclaimed, "Damn! That's good! A century is just too damn long to go without a decent drink--Kisuke's all for that World of the Living shit, but I swear it's got nothing on a proper bottle of Soul Society sake!"

She waved a waitress over before anyone could answer, demanding more sake. "And what else you guys want? Bring us whatever food you've got; it's all going on the Shihoin House tab! God bless being rich as fuck!"

Kira sighed for the fifth time since Hinamori and Yoruichi had left. It was beginning to get on Hisagi's nerves. He really thought if Kira was that crazy about Hinamori he should just tell her. It was easy to forget exactly how many years it had taken him to tell Nanao he was in love with her, and that was after multiple, albeit drunken, hookups.

Not that it really mattered anyway. Just when everything had started to be going really well and life seemed like in might actually be pretty awesome it all fell apart anyway. Fate clearly had it in for some people, and Hisagi was pretty sure that if he was one of those people Kira had to be another one. Their best bet was probably just to give up now.

"You sure I shouldn't have walked her home?" Kira asked again.

"Pretty sure Yoruichi can handle any bad guys," Hisagi answered.

"She seemed really drunk."

"So do you."

"But I--"

"What you think's going to happen to a lieutenant and an ex-captain in Seireitei on a two block walk?" Hisagi demanded.

"I don't know. I--"

At that moment an unranked member of the Third Division went flying across their table and through the rice paper wall into the street.

"What the—?" Hisagi began, but the rising shouts from across the sakeya quickly made the point of contention obvious. A large group of shinigami from the Third had been out celebrating the official announcement that their captain's life was no longer in danger and he would be returning to the division as soon as he recovered. They took the announcement as a vindication of their much maligned captain, but the surrounding shinigami, men of multiple different divisions, did not agree.

By the time the Third Division member went flying, his squad mates were all on their feet and yelling at or hitting other shinigami who were shouting back insults and accusations of their captain.

Hisagi couldn't quite suppress a smile when one man from the Eleventh called Gin 'a creepy, fox-faced coward who was only on their side 'cause it was the only place in the universe a freak like him was going to get laid'.

As the two lieutenants watched, even more drunken shinigami joined the fight. Someone from the Tenth hit the one from the Eleventh presumably because he saw the other man's statement as an insult to his own lieutenant, but most of the shinigami were going all out against the Third.

The front door opened, and Hisagi was not surprised to see Ikkaku standing there with a smile that was quickly spreading from ear to ear. This had to stop now or the Eleventh's Third Seat was going to put it to the most bloody end possible.

That was finally enough to get Hisagi to his feet. He staggered a little, and for a second his vision went gray, but it came back, so all good. "That's enough!" he shouted at the battling idiots. "Who the fuck do you morons think cares what the fuck you think anyway? Not one of you goddamn idiots count for anything. The captains are going to war. Do you understand that? We had captains fighting on the streets of Seireitei! When that happens all the fuck any of us can do is get out of the way and hope it's not the end of the fucking universe! You think it matters if we like the captains? If we think they're good people? All that matters is if they can win, and if they think they need Ichimaru Gin to make that happen then all I can say is thank god the fox-faced asshole is cooperating for the first time in his goddamn life." By the time Hisagi paused everyone else had shut up. The lieutenant of the Ninth had a reputation for being calm, rational, and more than usually understanding about the stupid messes people got into when drunk, seeing as he tended to lose a few IQ points himself when he drank. He was not the sort to berate an entire sakeya at the top of his lungs, even if they had thrown a man out into the street. "And," Hisagi added abruptly. "Before you go around insulting Captain Ichimaru Gin you might want to remember he could slaughter every last one of us before we could even flinch--and he petty revenge is his favorite hobby."

"True that," Ikkaku said, his grin reappearing, despite the fact that the fighting was clearly over. "I heard he got a guy from the Seventh transferred to Antarctica for fifty years after he made a pass at Rangiku. Poor bastard's still out there in the World of the Living freezing his ass off."

"That's almost as bad as the time he switched our division orders with the Ninth after our guys beat up a bunch of his. We spent three weeks working on Seireitei Communications before anyone noticed something was off," Yumichika said. "I thought my editorial was quite good, a critique of the fashion sense of various captains and lieutenants. It pointed out some very serious faux pas in desperate need of attention."

Their comments had done the trick and soon everyone's attention was diverted to the more humorous antics of Ichimaru Gin of the past century. Most people were now remembering why they actually enjoyed most of what Gin added to the Gotei since, as unranked division members, they never attracted enough of his attention to be the victims of his entertainment, and, at the same time, his own division was remembering why they actually hated the soulless bastard.

Ikkaku and Yumichika made their way over to the lieutenants' table. "You look like shit," Ikkaku said, frowning down at Hisagi, who had gone back to his drink now that everyone had calmed down.

"What would you know?" Hisagi mumbled, not bothering to look up.

"He's not wrong," Yumichika added, helpfully. Then he grinned. "Look like you've had the life sucked out of you."

Hisagi scowled but chose not to respond, not till he'd figured out how to beat the pretty-boy's shikai anyway.

Kira sighed. "I'm afraid Hisagi-san's had a bad week," he informed the other two as he moved over to make room. Hisagi clearly wasn't going to.

"You should go home," Ikkaku said. "You got a wife and kid waiting for you. What are you doing drinking yourself to death in a place like this? You have a life; go live it."

"I can't imagine Lieutenant Ise thinks much of you going out drinking every night without her," Yumichika added.

"She hates me," Hisagi groaned. "Kyoraku hates me. Ai-chan'd hate me too if she had a clue what was going on."

"Kyoraku's never hated anyone in his life, too lazy," Ikkaku declared. "But I doubt he's even annoyed at you. You did what you had to do, didn't you? Followed your captain's orders, not your fault your captain was on Aizen's side."

"I should have seen it. The hell's wrong with me that I could work with Captain Tosen every day for thirty years and think he was the greatest captain Soul Society had ever had, the most noble, the most honorable, a true hero of justice--fuck that! There really is no such thing."

"You can't give up on your ideal just because Tosen fell short," Kira protested. "You can still be everything you wanted to be; you can still be that hero. Justice is worth fighting for; truth and right are worth fighting for. You don't have to give up because you no longer have someone to follow. You can make your own path."

"You want to be a hero?" Yumichika demanded, barely holding back his laughter. "You two are adorable! You still think there's such a thing as justice? Sometimes I forget how young you lieutenants are, all wide-eyed innocence and idealism--remember that, Ikkaku?"

"Hell, no."

"Now you sound like Nanao," Hisagi said. "And if I'm going to have to hear how adorably naive I've been I might as well go home and let her tell me. At least she'll sleep with me if I pretend to listen."

"Yeah," Yumichika agreed. "You probably should. You're not bad looking, but I'm really not into tattoos."

Hisagi's eyes widened, and he hopped to his feet. "Yeah, better get home," he said quickly.

Yumichika smiled and waved after the retreating lieutenant. "That wasn't too hard," he said. Then he turned to Kira, still smiling, and said, "So Lieutenant, how are things going with you and Lieutenant Hinamori? You haven't given up, have you?"


	4. Chapter 4

Four days after Aizen's escape:

Soifon continued to walk the echoing hall of the Shihoin Estate. Some man, Shihoin Katsutoshi, a distant cousin of Yoruichi, tried to stop her, but she didn't even slow her pace as she stormed past him.

"Captain," he called, hurrying after her. It was the only title she ever answered to; she might have been given Yoruichi's position over the family, but the title of captain she had earned. It was the one she felt was her own. "Have you given any more thought to the matter-"

Soifon spun around abruptly. "What time did you get here this morning?" she demanded.

The man blinked. "What time?"

"You have been waiting to see me, haven't you?" she demanded.

The captain had been out when he arrived. He'd been told she'd gone out to Rukongai. It had been nearly three hours since then. "Yes, ma'am," he said quickly. "I arrived at seven because I hoped to speak to you before you went in-"

"Did you see a cat, a black cat, at all?" she demanded. "Here or along the road to the gate?"

"A black cat, ma'am?"

"Yes, a black cat," Soifon snapped in exasperation. "Unless you saw Yoruichi-sama? But I presume you would have said something if you had seen the lady."

"I didn't," he answered. "I'm sorry. I will look for the cat or was it Yoruichi-sama you are-"

She wasn't listening. As soon as he had admitted he had not seen either, she had turned her back and continued her fast-paced walk down the hall.

"Captain," he called again, running to catch up.

"What is it?" she demanded.

"You promised to consider the matter of Ichimaru-"

"Can't you tell I have better things to worry about than that spineless worm? Yoruichi-sama did not arrive last night, and no one seems to know where she's gone. I've been to Rukongai and back already looking for her. Now, I have to send someone to the World of the Living to find out if she's gone back to that man. I'd go myself, but I promised her I wouldn't kill him, and I'm in no mood to have a fan waved in my face-do you know where that idiot, Omaeda, has gotten to?"

The noble gentleman was happy to send her in the direction of the kitchen, at which point she'd rolled her eyes, muttered a curse, and vanished, presumably to end the foolish and unfortunate lieutenant's feast.

-—-

Kyoraku's smiling assurances that he had nothing to worry about really weren't making Hisagi feel any better as he was being shown through a section of the First Division he'd never visited before to be questioned once again about Shihoin Yoruichi. He'd told Captain Soifon everything he remembered that morning, and it really wasn't much. He could only assume that she was in some way suspicious of him if she wanted him to come here for further questioning.

The fact that Kyoraku had actually offered to accompany him only made him more nervous. It made him wonder if Kyoraku was filling in for Tosen. If a lieutenant was suspected of a serious crime his captain would be expected to be present for his questioning and at his trial.

Then there was Nanao; what was she going to say when she heard about this? She wasn't thrilled that he'd been going out drinking to begin with. She was going to lose her mind when she heard he'd gone to their garden with another woman. "It's just a shortcut," he muttered to himself.

"I'm sure it is," Kyoraku agreed.

He looked up, but Kyoraku wasn't looking at him, and he sighed. That was just what he needed, Kyoraku thinking he was in the habit of taking walks in gardens at night with women who weren't Nanao. Pretty soon it wasn't going to matter if Yoruichi reappeared, stretching and yawning and telling everyone she'd just spent the night in her cat form, he'd still be dead.

A door down the hall opened, and Kira stepped out looking nervous and worried, not that that told Hisagi much; Kira always looked worried and nervous, but the other lieutenant did sort of smile at him as he passed by.

Hisagi paused and watched Kira leave. He was trying to think of something to say, to start a conversation and delay the inevitable, but Kyoraku set a friendly hand on his shoulder and steered him toward the open door.

"Come on now, no reason to be so nervous," Kyoraku said, cheerfully.

As Hisagi stepped through the doorway he had to wonder if anyone-besides Kyoraku-ever managed to step into this room without feeling at least a little nervous. The room was long and narrow, lit only by a fire roaring in an enormous western-style fireplace that took a place of prominence on one long wall. The General sat in a tall chair almost like a throne near the fire, with its orange light dancing over his rugged features. Lieutenant Sasakibe stood behind the chair and to one side, and Captain Soifon stood further back from the fire, raising her head and glaring furiously at Hisagi the moment he stepped through the door. The rest of the room was lost in shadow, and Hisagi had the uncomfortable feeling other people could be there, hidden in the dark, watching him.

The room was painfully hot, and he could feel the sweat forming on his brow immediately. He had the random thought that Toshiro would probably pass out the moment he stepped into the room. Then he realized that he might too if he didn't calm down.

"Lieutenant Kyoraku-"

"Just Hisagi," Hisagi interrupted and really wished he hadn't when the general's eyes narrowed.

"Why?" Yamamoto demanded. "Do you not appreciate the honor that has been bestowed-"

"Not at all," Kyoraku interrupted. "Not at all. We all talked it over, how confusing it would be with two Lieutenant Kyorakus and a Captain-be as bad as the Ichimarus, only even worse with Shunsui and Shuhei, so we agreed Nanao-chan and Shuhei would use their old family names. I've got no complaints as long as everyone knows Ai-chan's a Kyoraku."

The old man smiled indulgently. "Your granddaughter is a treasure, such a bright, well-behaved child."

"Thank you, sir," Hisagi said. Then he wished he hadn't because the general's sharp eyes returned to him.

"You were the last person to see Shihoin Yoruichi," Yamamoto said.

Hisagi flinched. It sounded like an accusation. "Yes, sir. I've been told that's so, but I don't remember."

He heard Captain Soifon snort in disgust. She was not the sort of person who sympathized with people who got blackout drunk. He'd tried to tell her that morning that he didn't do that very often, hadn't in years, in fact, but she had not believed him.

"What do you remember?"

"Yoruichi-sama came into the sakeya with Lieutenant Hinamori. Kira and Hinamori have been good friends since the Academy, and-" Hisagi realized the general probably didn't care about Kira's crush on Hinamori and decided to move on. "Yoruichi-sama made Lieutenant Hinamori stay later than she usually would, but they must have left around ten. Some men from the Third got into an argument about Captain Ichimaru-Gin, not Toshiro, and I guess I left after that. I can remember Yoruichi-sama telling me I was the one who shouldn't be trying to walk home on my own, but not much else. I'm sorry, but I've tried all day and I can't remember when I ran into her or where we went or when we parted. I want to help, but there's nothing I can tell you."

"You remember nothing else?" Yamamoto demanded.

Hisagi paused for only a second, but that was enough to give him away.

"What is it?"

He sighed. "It's not important, sir. All I can remember is her laughing at me."

"Laughing, why?"

Hisagi blushed. "She kept trying to take me to the Ninth, and I had to explain why I needed to go to the Eighth. She hadn't heard Nanao and I were married."

"And she thought that was funny?" Yamamoto asked.

Hisagi noticed a smile turning up the corners of Soifon's lips. Of course she would find it funny too, which was why he hadn't mentioned it. He still wasn't about to tell anyone Yoruichi had called him 'Nanao's boy-toy'. There was only so much a man could take. "Yes, sir, she seemed to."

"Can you remember where this conversation took place? Did you see anyone or anything?"

Hisagi thought back. It had been very dark. Even wearing brilliant orange, Yoruichi had been difficult to see when she stepped away from him 'to get a good look at him'. She had to have eyes like a cat. They must have already been in the garden where the trees got so thick you couldn't see the sun, much less the moon and stars. She'd asked if he thought the tattoos made him look tough, and she wasn't the only woman laughing.

"I think there was another woman there," he said slowly.

"You think or you know?" Soifon demanded sharply.

He closed his eyes, trying to remember. He remembered Yoruichi laughing; she was seriously drunk, and she kept hanging onto his arm and complaining he had gotten her drunk on purpose. Then she was arguing about the Eighth or the Ninth. It seemed like someone else joined them then because he distinctly remembered feeling ganged up on, which made him think immediately of Nanao; she really did enjoy adding her two cents if anyone started in on him, but it wouldn't have been her. It was a girl's laughter; it felt familiar, and he wondered for a moment if the girl, whoever she was, was also missing, and they just hadn't noticed yet.

Then, suddenly, one last memory came to him: a sudden, severe pain to his head, and the girl's voice saying, "I am sorry, Hisagi-san."

"There was a girl, someone I know, but I can't remember who. I think she may have said she was sorry."

"You want us to believe a girl got the better of Yoruichi-sama?" Soifon demanded, looking and sounding completely disgusted.

She stepped forward, glaring at the young lieutenant. "Or maybe you and a few of Aizen's faithful followers got together, and you walked Yoruichi-sama directly into a trap."

And that was the accusation he expected, had to some degree expected from the moment he realized Tosen had betrayed Soul Society. It's what everyone had to think, that he had been involved, helping in some way. He had so obviously admired his captain and had worked almost as obsessively as Nanao to keep his division running perfectly for Tosen. How could they possibly think otherwise?

"I never had anything to do with Captain Aizen," Hisagi answered firmly.

"But your captain did."

"I don't know anything about that."

"I find that hard to believe, Lieutenant," Soifon answered. "You were very dedicated to your captain. Everyone knows you thought highly of Tosen and that your ambition was to be like him. Everyone knows how hard you worked for him, and how proud he was of you. He moved you up to lieutenant very quickly. Do you really think we're going to believe he didn't bring you into Aizen's plans? He wasn't just going to throw you aside when he left, was he?"

That hurt, believing that Captain Tosen had not even wanted to make him a part of their plans and had intended to cast him aside after all he had done was downright painful. There was only one thing that made it bearable. "Captain Tosen knew I would never betray Soul Society, not even for him. I don't understand why he did what he did, but, whatever his reasons were, I couldn't have followed him. I am a lieutenant of the Gotei 13, and I will not betray my duty."

"Well said," Kyoraku agreed, patting him on the back. "You've had your questions answered, Yamaji. Think I can take my boy home? Nanao-chan's going to be put out with both of us if I don't get him home in time for dinner."

Yamamoto sighed. "If he was not your son I would allow Soifon and the Punishment Squad to help him remember things a little more clearly, but the last thing I need at the moment is more noble families breathing down my neck. After the losses in the Central 46-Be grateful, Lieutenant-Hisagi, and don't forget where your loyalties lie."

As soon as the door had closed behind them Hisagi felt like he could breathe again. Being questioned by the General had been bad enough, but knowing he was still under suspicion was enough to leave him shaking. "Thank you, sir," he said to Kyoraku as he followed a step behind the colorful captain. "Thank you for believing in me."

Kyoraku turned back to smile, his wide, friendly, lopsided smile. "Think I'd a let you have Nanao-chan if I wasn't one hundred percent sure of you?"

Hisagi stopped abruptly. "I have to tell her, don't I?" he said, turning an unhealthy shade of gray.

"Nah," Kyoraku answered, his smile growing. "I told her before I left. Then I sent her to go check up on poor Rangiku-chan. Thought it might give her a little perspective."


	5. Chapter 5

Nanao walked down the wandering path to the Third Division captain's residence with Aiko on her hip. The girl had wanted to walk but eventually given in to her mother's iron will and glared, sulkily, at the world in general. Nanao told herself she was going to check on Rangiku because her friend had been through so much and probably needed help dealing with the shock of everything that had happened.

What she wasn't willing to admit to herself was that she was having very much the same problem. Was it not enough that they had to work through everything that had come from Shuhei's choice not to follow her and her captain and instead to obey orders? She already felt betrayed. She didn't need to hear her husband was the last person to have seen Yoruichi before the woman vanished!

She knew absolutely that he hadn't had a thing to do with the woman's disappearance, but there was a part of her, that was weak and self-doubting, that kept asking why Shuhei had been alone with Yoruichi. It kept her thinking about herself and feeling sorry for herself when there was no reason for it. She knew she could trust her husband; it was herself she really had problems with.

And all this time Shuhei had been miserable and depressed and feeling just as betrayed and for far better reasons. She needed to be there for him, but she couldn't seem to get over herself.

She knew that was why her captain had sent her here. He had an uncanny knack of knowing exactly what she needed, and right now she needed to be reminded that no matter how big she thought her problems were with Shuhei they were nothing compared to those Rangiku had to face with Gin.

Rangiku had not even been allowed to see her husband. She had been 'under guard' from practically the moment Aizen had left Soul Society. She had insisted on returning to the Third; her 'protectors' had allowed that much, but no amount of begging and pleading had granted her the chance to visit the Fourth. She was as much under house arrest as Nanao had been when they suspected her of helping to hide Rukia, only Rangiku hadn't done anything. It was because she was Gin's wife. That was it. Apparently no other reason was needed.

Nanao could not imagine how her ever-social friend was handling it. She must be half out of her mind with worry and just about the entire rest of the way from being stuck at home with nobody but her children to talk to.

She should have come to check on Rangiku sooner, Nanao realized. She'd been selfish and far too worried about her own problems. Toshiro was a wonderful child, and he'd probably done absolutely everything he could to help his mother, and he'd probably done his best to explain everything to her, but, at a time like this, the poor thing really needed a friend to lean on.

Nanao had just stepped into the clearing around the Third Division Captain's Residence when she was struck, directly in the center of the forehead, by something small and hard and sticky.

"Nice one!" she heard Rangiku exclaim, and she raised her head just in time for a second projectile to fly past her face.

That's when she spotted them. Rangiku and Kinta were sitting on the sloped tile roof with a pile of half-eaten watermelon, spitting seeds across the muddy remains of a once elegant garden. Yukiko was presumably in the sling strapped across Rangiku's chest. Nanao could see no other signs of the baby.

Nanao could not believe it. She lifted one hand from the squirming child on her hip and picked the sticky watermelon seed off her forehead.

"Watermelon!" Aiko demanded loudly as her mother glared at the seed.

Before Nanao could answer, Kinta appeared in front of them, holding out two slices of watermelon. "Have you come to join our picnic, Ai-chan?" he asked the toddler. "We're having a picnic on the roof 'cause everything tastes better if you eat it on the roof."

"Ai-chan is not allowed on the roof," Nanao answered firmly.

"You never were any fun," Rangiku said, hopping down gracefully and smiling at Nanao. "But even you have to like watermelon."

"Not when people spit the seeds at me," Nanao answered icily.

"It couldn't be helped," Rangiku answered. "Hitting a lieutenant's a hundred points. Even hitting the bamboo's only worth twenty."

Nanao's eyes shifted to Rangiku's kimono, realizing the other woman was liberally peppered with seeds. "Ah," she said slowly. "That explains it."

Rangiku followed her gaze. "Damn it, Kin-chan! I told you I'm on leave. I don't count," she said, but she was smiling hugely, so she clearly didn't mind.

"I got you twenty-seven times," Kinta told her. "Is that as many as a captain?"

"Twenty-seven?" Rangiku repeated. "And you had a hundred and twenty five points already so that's two thousand eight hundred and twenty-five? I'm afraid you're still twelve thousand one hundred and seventy-five short."

"Did Nii-chan really get Daddy one time?" Kinta demanded.

"Yeah, but Daddy was only a lieutenant at the time and he spat the seed right in Daddy's face after he asked what a lieutenant was worth-it was a surprise attack. Nobody's ever gotten a real captain," Rangiku assured Kinta.

Kinta cocked his head to one side, thinking that over. Then he asked, "Can we go visit Ai-chan's Ji-ji?"

Even Nanao couldn't help smiling at the idea of Captain Kyoraku being pelted with watermelon seeds by Kinta and Aiko. The idiot would probably let them hit him all they wanted. He was terrible about spoiling children. "I'm afraid my captain's busy," Nanao told him. Then she added, "How about you go wash up, and you and Ai-chan can play with Ai-chan's animals?"

She hefted a large canvas bag off her shoulder. It was filled to the brim with small, colorful plastic animals from the World of the Living. With no zoo and no television, the animals filling the bag were more exotic to Kinta than even mythical beasts, and he had been fascinated by Aiko's collection when they had stayed at her house. Nanao figured they were her best bet at keeping her child both busy and clean while playing at Rangiku's.

Kinta tossed the watermelon for the bag and took off with Aiko to build Africa on the porch.

"That was nice of you," Rangiku said, smiling as her son dumped the entire bag on the wooden floor.

"It was the safest game I could think of," Nanao answered. "How are you doing?"

"Shiro-chan said Gin should be able to come home in just a couple more days so that's good."

"But how are you?"

Rangiku turned and smiled, yet another huge smile, but to Nanao it seemed off. Rangiku was usually so open, and her smiles practically glowed with joy, but not now. Now, she was hiding behind her smile. "Everything's turned out good, don't you think?"

"I suppose so." Nanao nodded and looked away, watching the two children playing on the porch for a moment. They were arguing over whether the lion would eat the elephant or the other way around. If Rangiku didn't want to talk about herself maybe she would be willing to talk about her child.

"How is young Captain Ichimaru?" she asked finally.

"Why do people insist on calling him that?" Rangiku groaned. "You're talking to me, you know. You can just call him Shiro-chan."

"He is a captain," Nanao answered. "I prefer to be as respectful as I can toward all captains."

"Excluding your own?" Rangiku couldn't help asking.

"As respectful as I can be, Rangiku, as I can. Some men insist on being treated like five year olds no matter how old they get."

"Ain't that the truth," Rangiku agreed.

"I did see Captain-Toshiro yesterday, and he appeared to be completely healed. I hate to say it, but of everyone who was injured he was the one who was in the greatest danger. My captain said as much, that no one could expect to survive a direct attack from the General, and that Captain-Toshiro was able to recover so quickly goes to show how strong he really is and how incredible his potential may be. I don't think you're going to have to worry too much about him, Rangiku. Even among the captains he is something special."

"As long as he doesn't do something stupid," Rangiku answered, looking worried. "I'm afraid he's already got too many of those male instincts that make them try to get themselves killed. He could have run from the General. Anyone with half a brain would have, but he was trying to send me a message instead. Aizen showed him an illusion of Yamamoto threatening Kin-chan and Yuki as well, and he decided telling me to run was more important than trying to stay alive. He could have run, but instead he was a noble idiot."

Nanao nodded. It had been horrible, those hours before Toshiro had finally come to see his mother, to prove he really had made it through alright. He had acted like it had been nothing, and everyone had told Rangiku he was never badly hurt, but they'd both known it was a lie. He'd been hurt by General Yamamoto; not only had he been completely outmatched, but fire had to be his greatest weakness. He was very lucky to be alive, but if that was the reason he hadn't run, Rangiku had even more reason to be proud of him. "You should be very proud of him."

Rangiku's arms went around the baby asleep in her sling, and she looked down at her sadly, like she was thinking of another baby she could no longer keep within the shelter of her arms. "Of course I am, but I'm also worried. He's too much like his father. When's he going to step between someone and a fatal blow? We got really lucky this time. I could have lost them both, and I don't think any amount of pride in the noble nature of their deaths would make any difference to me."

Nanao could only imagine how Rangiku must feel, to have come so close to losing both her son and her husband in a single day. Death was a daily risk for a shinigami. You just had to put it out of your mind when those you loved were in danger. Nanao'd never allowed herself to think about it, no matter how many missions Shuhei lead out into deep Rukongai, no matter how much more danger he put himself in because he was always trying to capture the hollows for Kurotsuchi rather than killing them outright. She just didn't think about it. Not until yesterday when she'd abruptly realized that Shuhei had lost his fight with Ayasegawa Yumichika, and it was only because Ayasegawa had chosen to be merciful that he was still alive. Then she'd sobbed for an hour at her desk and hadn't stopped until her captain had forced a couple of sips of sake down her throat and listened to her blather on about how much she loved her damned fool of a husband.

Maybe what Rangiku really needed was a good, hard cry of her own, and while Nanao couldn't give her that she could at least let her know that she understood. "It probably wouldn't, not for a long time, but, hopefully, eventually, it would help. I'm certain it must better to lose those you love in a way that will allow you to remember them fondly. Shuhei has lost his captain, and I know Tosen is not dead, but it's just as bad-worse than if he had died a noble death. Shuhei is questioning everything he thought he knew because the one who taught him was a traitor. It hurts just to watch, and I feel completely helpless.

"But if you had lost Captain Ichimaru, if he had died to save Shiro, you would know that, despite all the lies and deceptions, he loved you all; his heart, at least, wasn't fake, and you would treasure every memory you had of him."

"Nanao, do you realize you said something nice about Gin?" Rangiku said, looking both surprised and confused.

Nanao frowned. "I don't like Captain Ichimaru, and I'm quite sure he enjoyed playing the part of a villain even if he was not one in actuality, and he made a great many people miserable when he didn't have to. But from what I understand he did do it all for you. That is quite an impressive display of selfless love, a hundred years by Aizen's side, knowing one little slip is all it would take to end his life, most likely very unpleasantly. Even if he has no other redeeming characteristics, I still must admit I was wrong about him. You are very fortunate to have a man who loves you like that."

Rangiku choked back a sudden sob. "Sorry," she said, quickly wiping the tears from her eyes. "Sorry, you know how it is with a new baby and all. I'm a little over-emotional, but it really is nice to hear someone else say that Gin, he really was trying to stop Aizen. It was a crazy plan. Crazy and stupid and suicidal, but it wasn't evil. He really isn't evil; I'm right about that, aren't I, Nanao, he isn't a monster?"

Nanao smiled at her friend. This was why she had come, to put her own problems in perspective. Shuhei might not have done what she wanted him to, but he had done his best, and he'd never done anything and never would do anything that would make anyone doubt he was a good man. He might occasionally be distracted by a large set of boobs, but he always came home to her, and he always would. He might not love her with the same level of obsessive passion Ichimaru Gin felt for Rangiku-there were definitely lines he would not cross even if her life was on the line-but it was probably healthier this way, less painful and frightening, too. No, considering all Rangiku had gone through because of Gin, Nanao really had absolutely no need to ever be loved like that.

"No, Rangiku," Nanao said. "He's not evil. He's probably gotten close a few times, but-I suppose it was like being a spy; there are things you have to do to keep your cover, some of them are really awful, but you have to stay focused on your goal. It's the only way to succeed. I'm sure he will be able to give the captains very valuable information about Aizen because of what he was willing to do."

Rangiku smiled, though her eyes were still swimming with tears, and she nodded. "And it's over, isn't it? He doesn't have to lie to me anymore or disappear or-it's all going to be good now, isn't it? He can help fight Aizen, and be a part of things, and he won't have to be always alone and making everyone hate him all the time. He can be happy now."

Nanao was surprised by the intensity with which Rangiku spoke. She'd always known Rangiku loved Gin, though how was beyond her, but she realized, listening to her, that she must have been worrying a great deal about him all this time. Until now, she would have told Rangiku he wasn't worth it. "I'm afraid it's going to be hard, Rangiku. It's going to take awhile for people to accept what he's done, and to really forgive him, and trust is going to take even longer. I think that's going to be hard for you, but, honestly, I don't think you should worry about him. I think as long as he has you he doesn't really care what the rest of us think."

Rangiku nodded again, but she still looked worried.

"Anyway, I'm sure it will all be alright in the end," Nanao said, not even really knowing what she meant by that. As long as Aizen was free things were going to be especially hard for Rangiku, but, maybe, after everything was settled, it would be better. Maybe Rangiku was right, and Gin could be more of a part of things. Who knew? Maybe he could even make friends with people. It seemed very strange to Nanao, even to consider, but she supposed the truth was she'd never known the real Ichimaru Gin. All anyone but Rangiku had ever known was the image he had presented to them. Maybe he could be a likable person-

And maybe pigs could fly. Kinta and Aiko seemed to think they did. They were hurling the pink plastic animals out into the muddy remains of the garden pond.

"Stop that right now!" Nanao shouted, as she ran toward the porch.


	6. Chapter 6

Five days after Aizen's escape:

Toshiro blinked wearily at the assembled captains. He'd really had enough to to do between managing his division, dealing with his mother who seemed to need constant reassurance that his father was going to be fine, and keeping an eye on said father just in case Aizen decided to finish him off after all. He really had better things to do than attend meetings. Hadn't they already decided everything last time?

This was the third meeting in four days, and, yet again, their numbers were incomplete. Aizen and Tosen were gone for good, but his father was still out and would be for at least another couple days, and Captain Ukitake, who had done surprisingly well, for him, throughout the fighting, and even attended the meeting the day after, had succumbed to illness once again, and would probably be out a good deal longer than Gin.

There were nine captains then, to meet whatever Aizen decided to throw at them next. Toshiro had been surprised to hear of Aizen's retreat to Hueco Mundo, but he supposed that no matter how arrogant the bastard was he still wasn't completely confident he could take General Yamamoto, at least not in a fair fight. It did puzzle Toshiro that Aizen didn't just come back and use his illusions to pick them off one by one. Maybe he was just that arrogant. He hadn't taken the Hogyoku so that he'd have the strength to defeat them; he already had that power. He'd taken it because only if he fused with it would he have the power to smash them to bits while they fought back with everything they had. He wanted to crush them while forcing them to face his absolute superiority and their own despair. Toshiro wondered if humans had a word for that kind of psychopath. He'd read some of their writings on psychology when he'd been trying to make some kind of sense of his father. Now it was kind of amazing to realize Aizen might actually be more messed up than Gin was.

If that was Aizen's plan they really would have time to prepare, so maybe they could relax, but Toshiro couldn't feel any real confidence about it. They were weak now. It seemed foolish for Aizen not to take advantage of that. He got that it wasn't something they would expect from what they understood about Aizen, but how well could they possibly know what he was going to do? They hadn't known he was anything but a nice, thoughtful captain a week ago. Could they really guess?

He felt they should be prepared for anything, even if it was unlikely. They should be guarding against an attack now as well as in the future. So far, despite meeting after meeting, their instructions had been little more than business as usual, but maybe this meeting would change things.

General Yamamoto cleared his throat. "A situation was brought to my attention yesterday. Shihoin Yoruichi appeared to have vanished. Knowing Lady Yoruichi's skills and personality well I was not too concerned and directed Soifon to do what it took to find the lady without causing a fuss in case Lady Yoruichi had simply failed to notify anyone of a change in her plans. I hoped Soifon and the Stealth Squad would be able to locate her without too much difficulty, however it now appears the situation is more serious than I believed." The old man looked to the woman beside him. "Soifon, if you would, please, present your report."

"Of course, General," the tiny woman answered stiffly. "Yoruichi-sama was expected at the Shihoin Estate two nights ago. I have learned she left Shiba Kukaku's home in the late afternoon with the intention of reaching the Shihoin Estate by nightfall and was greeted entering Seireitei by Jidanbo at half past six. She met Lieutenant Hinamori outside the Fifth Division, at approximately seven p.m., and the two of them went to a popular sakeya, Morimoto's. They joined Lieutenants Hisagi and Kira there. The two women left at some time after ten. There was a bit of a commotion at the sakeya soon afterwards, and Lieutenant Hisagi left after settling the men down.

"Lieutenant Hisagi ran into Yoruichi-sama again on his way home and walked at least part way with her, although his memory of events is unclear. The last recorded surveillance footage we have is of Yoruichi-sama walking into the Asahi garden with Lieutenant Hisagi. Yoruichi-sama should have been recorded leaving by the west path to the Shihoin Estate and Lieutenant Hisagi by the north to reach the Eighth, but Captain Kurotsuchi has informed us that the cameras in the garden had been so constantly vandalized that his division ceased to repair them several years ago. Neither the lieutenant nor Yoruichi-sama were caught on any other surveillance. Lieutenant Hisagi was greeted by Eighth Division guards returning home at nearly two, but we have yet to find anyone who saw Yoruichi-sama after she entered the garden with him. I have questioned Lieutenant Hisagi twice, and he continues to insist he remembers nothing."

"I hate even to consider it," Yamamoto said, slowly. "But Hisagi was Tosen's lieutenant, one of the graduates handpicked by Aizen for his position. He may have acted on Aizen's direction, leading Yoruichi into some sort of trap."

Kyoraku leapt to his adopted son's defense. "There's no evidence he's done anything--"

"Can't remember either, can he?" Soifon snapped back. "Pickled brains seem to run in the family. Ise certainly knows how to pick them."

"Regardless," Byakuya suddenly spoke up. "I do not see how Lieutenant Hisagi could possibly have harmed Yoruichi-sama. The woman is uniquely skilled in combat. Nothing I have seen of Hisagi is remotely comparable, so unless Aizen secretly trained the lieutenant in skills we have no knowledge of we must look elsewhere for an explanation of Yoruichi-sama's disappearance. You are certain she has not simply wandered off?"

"I have spent the past twenty-four hours scouring Seireitei with my division. Her reiatsu is no longer present within the city, and her trail ends with Lieutenant Hisagi's in the Asahi garden. Something happened to her there."

"Or she went cat," Kyoraku offered. "I understand no one can track her reiatsu accurately once she shifts. I recall Yoruichi had a tendency to wander off when the mood struck her. She's never been one for checking in.

"Of course we must look for her, be irresponsible not to, but I do hope that's what happened. I will vouch for Shuhei-kun in any case. He probably drinks more than he should, and he can't hold his liquor, poor kid, but he'd sooner cut his own throat than hurt any woman."

"Perhaps Hisagi is the dupe once more," Byakuya said coolly. "He is an obvious mark for suspicion because of his admiration of his captain. Whoever planned Yoruichi-sama's abduction may have set him up to walk with her into that garden, knowing it was no longer under surveillance, and knocked him over the head before abducting her. If he was half as drunk as Renji is after such evenings, he'd stagger home when he regained consciousness, never realizing he hadn't simply passed out from overindulging."

"The only individual outside my division who could have known the garden was no longer under surveillance was Lieutenant Hisagi," Kurotsuchi said. "He is the one who continually broke the cameras. I requested more than once that he desist, but he completely ignored me. Perhaps this was his plan all along, to create a space in which to commit crimes unobserved. I told you this is what would happen if you allowed people to know they were under surveillance."

"How do you know it was Shuhei-kun damaging your cameras?" Kyoraku demanded.

"He admitted as much," Kurotsuchi answered. "Destroyed every camera in the park and threatened my men if they didn't turn over every hard copy of the films they'd made of his liaisons with Lieutenant Ise--I've warned them before, if they share footage it will get out. The idiots always think they can make some money, especially when the couple is so well known. Imagine if Lieutenant Ise had found out; I'd still be training a new surveillance team!"

"More likely we'd be looking for a new captain for the Twelfth. Maybe, if we were lucky enough to still have a division to house him in," Kyoraku said, looking completely serious. "You've never seen Nanao angry. What sort of damn fools you got working down there, anyway? Don't they value their lives? Selling recordings of some of the goings on in the entertainment district is one thing, illegal, unethical; they probably out to be chucked out of the Gotei, but Nanao-- If I were you I'd be double checking they did as they were told, triple checking maybe. You ever get that memory erasing to work properly? You might want to scrub their memories too. She ever hears even a rumor about a film, and we all--"

"Then Lieutenant Hisagi did know about the broken cameras," Toshiro interrupted. It was clear Captain Kyoraku had been completely distracted from the matter at hand by the prospect of his lieutenant bringing down the entirety of Seireitei. Toshiro thought he was probably exaggerating the extend of her strength, but probably not the extent of her rage. In any case, it seemed unlikely she'd actually find out, as no one could possibly be stupid enough to tell her the Twelfth had tried to turn her into a porn star, and they did have an actual problem to worry about at the moment. "But it's unlikely he's really the only one who knows those cameras are down. In any case, no one really believes Lieutenant Hisagi could have harmed Yoruichi-sama. If he'd tried, I, for one, would expect to still be collecting pieces of him from all over the garden. If something happened to Yoruichi-sama it was either Aizen, someone in this room, or someone who'd planned the whole thing out very carefully and must have known Yoruichi-sama's weaknesses well enough to exploit them, which, to me, sounds like it must have been an agent of Aizen's—which it is possible Lieutenant Hisagi could be, but I tend to agree with Kyoraku; he's not the type."

"Young Shiro-kun is right," Yamamoto said. He didn't seem to notice how Toshiro scowled at that; 'Shiro-kun' ticked him off enough without 'young' being added to it, but he unfortunately shared both his last name and almost his first name with other captains. Everyone was always attaching descriptors to his name to clarify who they were speaking about. Kenpachi had advanced from 'the Ichimaru baby' to 'Ichimaru-chibi' which really kept titles like 'young Captain Ichimaru' in perspective.

"We should consider this as most likely the work of Aizen or his agents," Yamamoto continued. "Our first priority is to locate and rescue Yoruichi, but we must also take the time to consider what Aizen intends to accomplish through this attack."

"This may be a form of psychological warfare," Komamura said, looking sad. "I spoke only a day or two ago with Lieutenant Hisagi; he was very concerned about the morale of his division after Tosen's defection. I am sure the members of the Fifth are struggling as well, but I don't think those divisions are the only ones. Lieutenant Iba has reported to me some concerns about our own men as well. Fighting among the captains, seeing captains injured and some betraying the Gotei has been extremely upsetting to the average shinigami. All shinigami have a great deal of admiration and pride in their captains. They expect us to be above the weaknesses we have too clearly displayed in this past week. They are confused and many are frightened. This attack on Shihoin Yoruichi, who is well-known to all the Gotei for her incredible strength, will only cause more damage to our already poor morale. There will be even more doubt in our ability to stand against Aizen. We will be in no shape to conduct a war against Aizen if he brings the forces of Hueco Mundo against us, not unless we can find a way to restore our men's confidence in us."

"Then it is all the more necessary that we locate Yoruichi immediately," Yamamoto said. "I expect every division to assign members to that task, and to coordinate and share information freely." He paused to give Kurotsuchi a sharp look. "Shihoin Yoruichi must be found. There can be no excuses. You are dismissed."


	7. Chapter 7

With four divisions currently being run by lieutenants it was necessary to hold a lieutenants meeting soon after the conclusion of the captains meeting. Sasakibe of the First quickly explained the situation, directing those lieutenants without Captains currently able to coordinate their division searches to report to Soifon for direction.

It would have been a very quick meeting if Hinamori Momo had not turned earnest eyes on Hisagi and said, "Hisagi-san, is there really nothing you can tell us to help us find Yoruichi-sama? If she was with you then--"

Hisagi nearly jumped out of his skin, and then he stared at her like she'd accused him of some serious crime. Across from him, Lieutenant Ise's eyes flashed, and Kira, noticing both, jumped in to try to diffuse the situation. "What do you mean, Hinamori? You were with us, too, and she left with you. Shouldn't you know more than we do?"

"Captain Soifon told me Hisagi-san was the last person to see Yoruichi-sama," Hinamori answered. "She told me they went walking in a park together."

"It's a shortcut!" Hisagi burst out and promptly wished he hadn't because every last person at the table was now staring at him. And his loving wife looked like she wanted to cut his throat.

"Nah," Yachiru said into the silence. "No way Catgirl'd give Spikey the time of day--too bad 'cause Nana'd murder him. Spiky was probably so drunk Catgirl was afraid he'd fall in a ditch if she didn't walk him home. Bet Spikey doesn't even remember."

"I remember--" Hisagi began defensively. Then, once again wondered why he hadn't kept his mouth shut as all eyes returned to him. "I don't remember much because I was knocked out, but I do remember that someone I knew, a woman, joined us in the garden. I am doing my best to try to remember who she was because I'm pretty sure, whoever she was, she had something to do with Yoruichi disappearing."

"Someone you know?" Kaien demanded. "Someone in the Gotei?"

"But that would be--that would mean--" Kira bit back the words.

"Someone in the Gotei is still working for Aizen," Renji said, barely holding back his anger. "Someone we know is on his side."

"If we can trust Hisagi-kun's memory," Kaien said. "I'm sorry, but I've seen how drunk you've been getting. I don't think we can be sure of anything you think you remember."

Hisagi wanted to argue, but if he was completely honest he wasn't sure he could trust his memory either. For all he knew he was remembering Yoruichi and Hinamori laughing at him earlier in the evening, rather than being laughed at in the park--but, no, that phrase, that, 'I'm sorry, Hisagi-san,' he could remember the sudden confusion and fear it inspired, just before he lost consciousness. "I understand, Shiba-san, but I do remember. I know there was a woman involved, and I know she was someone I trusted."

He looked over the familiar faces, seeing doubt and even suspicion in a few of the eyes. Even Nanao looked uncertain. That wouldn't do. She, at least, had to believe him. "Nemu-san," he said turning to the lieutenant beside Nanao. "Does Captain Kurotsuchi have some way he could help me get back the memories of that night?"

Nemu blinked slowly, thinking carefully before answering. "It is possible; we have developed many processes to retrieve lost memories, however it is likely that, as you were knocked unconscious, your brain did not convert those memories to long-term storage and so they are lost forever, much like a dream upon waking."

"So I'm never going to remember who it was?"

"I would not say that," Nemu answered. "You do have some memories of what happened. We may be able to help you find more. I would recommend you first try to allow them to return naturally; many people find our methods discomforting."

"It doesn't matter," Hisagi answered. "I have to remember. I can--"

"You can give it a few days," Nanao interrupted, sharply. "More will probably come back to you with time, and it may not even be necessary. With the entire Gotei looking, we can hardly fail to locate Yoruichi-sama within the next day or two--is that everything, Sasakibe-san? We should get to work immediately if possible."

"Of course," the gray-haired lieutenant agreed. "Everyone is dismissed. Lieutenants Kira, Shiba, Hinamori, and Hisagi, you will all be expected at the Second."

Hinamori lingered behind with Kira to see how Renji was doing. They were both very concerned about their old school friend.

Renji was quick to shrug off their worries. "We've already saved her once, right?" he asked with a smile. "Captain Kuchiki's on our side this time so it should be easy."

"I'm sure we will get her back," Kira said.

"We will," Hinamori agreed. Then she frowned. "Renji, you know Hisagi-san pretty well, don't you?"

Renji shrugged. "I guess so. Why?"

"It's just," Hinamori's eyes dropped and a worried frown touched her lips. "A friend of mine in the Second told me Captain Soifon thinks Hisagi-san is working for Aizen--he always really admired his captain, and it does kind of make sense that he would follow him and join Aizen, too, doesn't it? At least Captain Soifon thinks so. She wanted to do a full interrogation, but Captain Kyoraku stopped her, because Hisagi-san, he's a Kyoraku now, you know? So they didn't get to really question him."

Both Kira and Renji now shared her worried expression. "But Hisagi-san, he said he wanted to go to Captain Kurotsuchi to get his memory back, Renji argued. "No one would do that unless they really, really wanted to remember. There's no way you would risk it if you were faking."

"Unless he knew Lieutenant Ise would stop him," Hinamori said. "She always does if she can, when he offers to do something risky."

Kira's frown deepened. "I don't like this."

"It's like we can't trust anyone," Renji agreed. "If Hisagi-san--"

"We have each other," Hinamori said, firmly. "Even if we don't have anyone else, we know we can trust each other, right?"

"Right!" Kira agreed immediately.

Renji looked from one to the other of his two oldest school friends. They'd been on opposite sides of the last fight, but everything had been worked out. He knew them. The only person in the Gotei he'd known longer was Rukia. He nodded. "Right."


	8. Chapter 8

Six days after Aizen's escape:

Waking up in pain was not fun, but waking up in pain and under guard was even less so, Gin decided. At first all he had been aware of was the burning, pins and needles sensation in the bottoms of his feet. It felt something like the feeling returning to your feet after you'd sat on them too long—if that made you want to claw your way out of your own skin. Honestly, the pain wasn't nearly as bad as it had been. His back ached only faintly, not enough that he even noticed unless he thought about it, and breathing, well, it wasn't comfortable, but it was no longer panic inducing.

He supposed that the reduction of pain was why he finally noticed the absurd number of barriers on his room. He couldn't really concentrate well enough to work out exactly what they were, what with really wanting to claw his way out of his own skin, but he did think the presence of a lieutenant--even through the barriers he could pick up on the reiatsu of one standing just outside the door--seemed like overkill.

Hadn't Toshiro said they'd decided they were going let bygones be bygones anyway? What did he need a guard for then? Maybe they'd changed their minds; it's not like that never happened. And where was Shiro anyway? He'd been around before, every time Gin had woken up. He'd been such a good boy, sitting by his poor, injured father's side. Strange.

Honestly, the kid had been acting completely out of character. Even when Shiro'd been furious and threatened him it hadn't been like it had been before. Gin supposed it was his own fault. He'd really messed up their dynamic by stepping in front of Aizen's blade. They were probably going to have to figure out a whole new way to talk to each other, like family that loved each other or something. That was going to be awkward.

There was more than one strong reiatsu, now, outside the door. He could hear voices, too, arguing, it sounded like. He wished they'd come inside and talk to him. Being mortally wounded was boring as hell, when one was conscious, anyway. One might take up moaning in agony just for something to do--it was probably just whimpering but moaning sounded better.

"Oi!" he tried to call out, but shouting appeared to be beyond him. His voice was no longer a pitiful whisper, but there was no way someone on the other side of a door was going to hear him.

His eyes shifted to the bedside table. There was a glass of water with a straw that he hadn't been able to lift yesterday sitting near the edge. Today was a new day, and it seemed worth a try.

He lifted his hand and felt quite proud of the fact that it no longer trembled as he reached for the glass. He smiled when he lifted the glass; it was nice to see his strength was coming back as quickly as promised. Then the slick, wet glass slipped through his fingers and shattered on the floor.

"I meant to do that," he told himself as the door was flung open.

"Captain, you're awake!" Kira exclaimed as he burst into the room.

"Good morning!" Gin grinned back at him. He loved his lieutenant. Kira was positively glowing. He had to be the first person Gin had seen who looked genuinely and completely happy to see he'd survived. Even Shiro had had some clear reservations.

"Ah, he's awake," Kurotsuchi said as he pushed past Kira into the room followed by his silent lieutenant. "He will be able to answer my questions now—you will leave." He ended by waving Kira out of the room.

But, for once, Kira was not in the mood to be pushed around.

"I was ordered to stay here," Kira said, backing up when the painted captain leaned toward him, but still refusing to give in. "Captain Ichimaru Toshiro told me I am not to leave my captain alone with anyone, no exceptions."

Gin thought that really was awfully nice of Shiro, leaving him a bodyguard, especially since he must have realized Kurotsuchi would drop by eventually. Gin had once tried to get Kurotsuchi banned from the Fourth entirely—it had been a dull meeting in definite need of livening up—and his motion probably would have passed if Yamaji wasn't such a spoilsport and hadn't allowed them to vote on it.

"Don't be ridiculous," Kurotsuchi answered. "What do you think I am going to do? I am here to question Ichimaru. You will only be in the way. You do not even have clearance to hear some of these questions."

"What about her?" Kira said, gesturing toward Nemu, who had already taken a seat in the corner with a notepad and pen. "She's a lieutenant too. If she can hear it so can I."

"Nemu doesn't count," Kurotsuchi answered. "She does not require clearance as anything I command her not to repeat she cannot share. You however—"

"Oh, let him stay," Gin interrupted. "I really would appreciate having an illusion of safety if I have to talk to you. I can always imagine you'll stick to the truth serums without serious side effects while he's watching."

"Truth serums?" Kurotsuchi repeated, trying and failing to look innocent. "Why would I use a truth serum on an ally?"

"My mistake," Gin answered. "I noticed that needle you keep fiddling with in your pocket and assumed it was a truth serum. It wouldn't be a poison, would it? Because I'd hate to spoil your fun, but I'm fairly sure I'm up to date on your antitoxins."

"You've been dosing yourself with my antitoxins?" Kurotsuchi demanded.

"Hasn't everyone?" Gin asked. "It really seems like the only thing to do, considering how fond you are of poison—now, do you have anything with you that causes numbness in the extremities because the pins and needles has reached my ankles, and I'm not sure I'll be able to answer any of your questions very well, even with a truth serum, if it keeps at it much longer."

"Are you in pain, Captain?" Kira asked, looking concerned. "Should I get Captain Unohana?"

"Would you?" Gin asked, smiling pleasantly. "That would be very nice of you. I hate to be a bother. It's just that I may start screaming in a minute otherwise."

Kira's eyes widened, and he said, "I'll be right back, Captain! Hold on."

"Now, you've got about two minutes before he gets back with Unohana," Gin said. "If there's anything you really needed to ask without witnesses. I'm serious about the numbing though. You can drug me all you'd like if you make this go away."

It didn't help that, despite the increasing pain, not even his toes showed the slightest sign of movement. Being unable to move was severely claustrophobia inducing, and only increased the panicked need to escape that Gin was doing his best to ignore.

"The pain is a sign that your spinal cord is healing. Why would you want to mask it?" Kurotsuchi asked, sounding genuinely puzzled.

Gin wasn't surprised. It had probably been decades since pain had even bothered the freak, if it ever had. His great work had been to move himself steadily away from an existence as any sort of living being. It was interesting that his lieutenant seemed to be moving just as steadily in the opposite direction. It probably really annoyed Kurotsuchi. To his mind she must be rejecting the perfection he had given her.

"Hey, Nemu," Gin said, smiling. "Did you know Ukitake's on Aizen's short list? One of the first to get the axe when Aizen gets down to business. His own fault, of course, having a bankai like that, but I thought you might want to know. No treaties, no deals, and no mercy, not for him, and there are a few others there as well. I suppose I'm probably one now, but you never know. You two aren't. He's considered bringing Kurotsuchi over, and you, you're not much more than one of your captain's limbs, are you? Aizen's never thought of you as much of a threat."

As Gin spoke, the quiet lieutenant had raised her head. She was now staring straight at him, and her bright green eyes glowed with more feeling and more life than he'd ever seen before. He'd never been quite sure, unlike Rangiku, that the girl was really a complete person. It had always seemed to him like Kurotsuchi had made her to contain only the feelings and emotions he found useful; she'd seemed to expand upon them in the past few years, but he'd still not been sure if they were genuine. He'd actually considered the whole thing with Ukitake could be some sort of elaborate experiment, although that had seemed doubtful. But right now, the fury, the fear, and the burning hate she directed at him was something to behold. There was nothing artificial in that look. However she'd begun, she'd certainly filled the gauntlet of human emotion.

"If that is a joke, Captain Ichimaru," she said in her always controlled voice. "I find it to be in very poor taste."

He grinned back at her. "I'm afraid it's nothing but the truth, Nemu. No reason to glare at me for it, though. It's not me who wants your man dead. I'm just letting you know what I know. I'd think you'd be grateful to get a warning."

"Ignore her. I'm sure these emotional outbursts are just a phase. She'll outgrow it. I'm sure you've noticed much the same in your children," Kurotsuchi said.

Gin shrugged. "I don't know. It seems to me that the new habits that really get on your nerves are the ones they decide to keep."

Kurotsuchi looked back at Nemu, thoughtfully. "Do you think so? I may have to take a more active role in guiding her evolution if that is the case. I cannot have my lieutenant permanently weakened by emotions like empathy and pity--although hate can add unexpected levels of strength. I have been trying to do tests on the connection between reiatsu and hate--also love; I have collected many anecdotes suggesting that when a shinigami is fighting to protect a loved one or to destroy a particularly despised enemy their reiatsu grows to levels they had never before achieved, but I cannot make the proper clinical trials. There is simply no cooperation in the Gotei with experiments in the social sciences."

"I can't imagine why not," Gin answered, without the slightest hint of sarcasm. "It seems like an important study. Surely you could persuade a few dozen parents to allow you to place their children in mortal peril so you can gage their reiatsu as they fight to rescue them. I'm sure you wouldn't lose more than one or two children."

Kurotsuchi gazed back at him thoughtfully. "Perhaps I could use you children?"

"Suggest it to Rangiku, and I'm sure you will see that reiatsu explosion you were looking for."

"Do you think so?"

The door opened before Gin could answer and Unohana stepped in, followed by Kira. "Captain Kurotsuchi, what do you think you are doing, interrogating my patient?" she asked immediately.

Gin drew a deep breath as he watched Kurotsuchi argue pointlessly with Unohana. The man was well on his way to being kicked out, and Gin had managed to avoid having to answer any of his questions. It was helpful that he was so distractible, but he would have gotten to them eventually if Kira hadn't fetched Unohana.

It wasn't that Gin was entirely opposed to answering questions. He did want to see the Gotei to beat Aizen if they could--he'd be betting against them if anyone was taking bets, but he would do what he could to help. They were currently his only hope, but if he was going to be answering questions he wanted to do it on his own terms. In other words, he didn't want to be pumped full of half of Kurotsuchi's medicine cabinet and to find himself spilling his soul without even retaining the ability to stop talking. He'd seen what that did to a person. Even he didn't want to know what kind of secrets Kurotsuchi could pull from the black depths of his soul.


	9. Chapter 9

Hinamori and Kira had spent the night scouring the city outside the Southern Gate, looking for clues to Yoruichi's disappearance. After hours of questioning frightened peasants they finally found themselves following a man who promised to take them to a murdered shinigami if they were willing to pay. They were weaving through back alleys in the dead of night, following an obvious criminal.

Kira had Wabisuke out and was looking around constantly. He was always uneasy outside the walls of Seireitei, and the slums of Southern Rukongai made him particularly nervous. From what he'd heard, his captain and Rangiku had come from worse; he hated even to imagine it.

The man who'd been leading them stopped abruptly, and both Hinamori and Kira stopped just behind him

"It's there," he said, pointing to a pile of empty crates in a dark corner between two tall buildings.

Kira took a step forward, staring into the darkness. The crates were piled on something, a dark colored tarp, maybe, or-then he saw it; a foot in a white tabi and sandal, sticking out from what had looked like a rolled up cloth but was a shinigami's shihakusho.

Kira leapt forward, knocking the crates to the side as quickly as he could. It wasn't Yoruichi, but someone, a shinigami, had been dumped here like garbage.

It took only seconds to uncover the man and the pool of drying blood he lay in. Kira knew he was dead the moment he saw that. It was too much blood. Maybe if someone like Unohana had been here the moment he'd been struck, but it had been hours.

He knelt beside the still body, feeling almost painfully sad. They had thought they had some time to prepare, and some peace to pull themselves back together, but they'd been wrong. First Yoruichi had vanished and now this.

He took hold of one shoulder and started to turn the body over. He let go with a cry of horror and turned away, fighting the urge to vomit. The man's neck had been severed. Whoever had hidden the body had carefully placed the head so that it wasn't immediately obvious. Kira'd seen a lot of truly awful things while working in the Fourth, but a decapitation was still a horrible thing to come upon when you weren't expecting it.

He stood up quickly and turned to Hinamori. Unsurprisingly, their guide had vanished, and Hinamori stood alone, trembling and pale as a leaf.

"You shouldn't get any closer. He was murdered, whoever he-"

"Eiji. His name was Eiji. He was in the Ninth," she answered softly.

Hinamori could not believe it. Eiji was dead. He was Aizen's agent in the Ninth. His head had been severed like a-like a scythe would do. Could it be Hisagi was on the other side? Could he be a part of the conspiracy? AIzen's last letter had warned it was possible. He was close to Captain Kyoraku, who Aizen suspected was one of the leaders, but, still, Hinamori did not want to believe it. Hisagi had always seemed like a good person, and he had a family. She did not want to think he would do something like this, even to an enemy. "Could Hisagi-san have-"

"Don't even say it!" Kira snapped, shaking his head. "Don't! Don't even-he wouldn't do this. I know he wouldn't."

Hinamori nodded. "Someone did," she said softly. She hoped Kira was right, and it wasn't Hisagi. She hated to think of poor little Aiko losing both her parents.

"We'd better call it in."


	10. Chapter 10

Seven Days After Aizen's escape:

Gin smiled proudly as he paced back and forth across the room. "See?" he declared. "Good as new."

It felt so good to move freely. His movement had come back slowly over the day before, but the pain had kept him from trying much more than wiggling his toes. This morning he'd awoken free from pain, and he'd immediately hopped out of bed, or that had been the plan. An ecstatic bound had turned into a graceless tumble. He couldn't remember the last time he'd heard Shiro laugh like that. He eventually made it back to his feet, and now, after an hour of loosening up all those unused muscles, he was able to move normally.

"Your reiatsu's still a little low," Toshiro answered.

"That's only because they've got Shinso locked up somewhere. I haven't been able to reach it all week."

"You've been trying to talk to Shinso?" Toshiro said, looking surprised.

"How long can you go without talking to your zanpakuto?" Gin asked. It really would be nice to feel the blade in his hand again. He felt, if not completely helpless, at least vulnerable without it. He was no kido master. He'd put nearly all his strength and focus into Shinso, and nearly all of that had gone into developing the best possible attack. His only real defense was to run away. He had been speaking from personal experience when he'd told Toshiro that the problem with someone hellbent on revenge was they were killer on the attack but completely fell apart on the defense. Without Shinso, he probably couldn't defend himself any better than a third seat. At least he'd made sure Toshiro did not make the same mistake.

"I'll see if I can get it for you," Toshiro said. "I think General Yamamoto's been keeping it locked up. A captain's zanpakuto can be dangerous."

"Especially if you don't happen to trust the captain it belongs to," Gin said, pleasantly. "Do you think I could go see Ran now? You said something about a captain's meeting after lunch, but that's still an hour-"

"Captain Unohana wants to look you over to makes sure everything's healed alright, and after the meeting you get to tell Kurotsuchi and his staff everything you know about the Arrancar. You'll be lucky if you get to go home before Kinta's bedtime."

Gin turned away. He gave skipping a bit of a try, but there really wasn't enough space, so he hopped on the balls of his feet a few times, but it really wasn't the same. He couldn't wait to get out of this place. He'd have to see if he could still shunpo to the East Gate and back in under five minutes. He really didn't like cramped spaces like this, lots of barriers and no windows, always felt like a trap.

He turned back to Shiro, smiling. "So how angry is your mother? I left her a baby with a dirty diaper angry or she missed a once in a lifetime chance to go to the Shiba family hot springs with all her best friends and no any annoying Shibas, and instead spent the weekend being thrown up on after Kin-chan caught a stomach bug, and all because I didn't bother to come home for a couple days angry?"

Toshiro just glared back at him.

"Right," Gin said. "I'm a terrible husband. I knew that." He looked around the room quickly. "What do you think they've done with my clothes?"

"Burned them?" Toshiro suggested. "They were slashed to bits and soaked in blood. I don't think anybody's even going to complain when you put in for a replacement."

"Well, that would be a nice change. Last time I lost one of my socks I got a three page letter about personal responsibility, scarcity of resources, and an in-depth analysis of waste in the food and stationary supply departments and how those funds could be better spent on extra socks and underwear for the Gotei."

Toshiro smiled faintly. "They told me the waste was in construction, although that was a tough argument to make when the Eleventh had just torn half their division apart again."

"Maybe the waste is in having an Eleventh at all," Gin suggested. "Maybe we could all have enough socks if we got rid of Kenpachi."

"How are you planning to do that?"

"There's the problem-all my best plans end up having some sort of problem like that. Never can get them to work properly. It really is too bad."

Toshiro shook his head. "It wasn't so much a plan as a random thought. Is that what all your plans are? Because if it is, it's a miracle you managed to last as long as you did with Aizen. I would have thought it would take a lot of careful planning not to end up skewered."

"I don't know. I think over planning just gets you in a mess when things go wrong. It wasn't very hard to remember, 'become Aizen's favorite little sidekick; learn everything; kill him', but again with the problem of one very big, very nasty person having to be dealt with before it's mission accomplished. It's a definite failing."

"You must have had some idea of what you were going to do," Toshiro answered.

"Wait till he was thoroughly distracted and stab him in the back was my favorite. Seemed more likely I was going to have wait till he stabbed me with Kyoka Suigetsu and hit him back. Kind of why I kept putting it off," Gin said, checking various drawers in the bedside cabinet. "Oh, look, you did bring me clothes! That was very nice of you."

"Wait a minute," Toshiro said. "You were going to wait for him to hit you to hit him back? What sort of plan is that? That sounds like a good way to end up dead!"

"Ah, well, long as I got to take him with me," Gin shrugged. He seemed more interested in the new shihakusho he was laying out on the bed. "A new haori! Getting these replaced is worse than socks! I was sure they'd try to repair the old one. Look how nice and white it is!"

Gin smiled down at Toshiro's stunned expression. He wasn't particularly surprised that Toshiro was shocked by his plan. It really wasn't his sort of thing, sacrificing himself for others-or maybe it was; he had stepped between Toshiro and AIzen's blade. But, usually, he was pretty focused on self-preservation. He'd certainly never been impressed by stories where the hero died to save everyone else; it always seemed like the hero should have thought things out a little better, or if the situation was impossible to salvage then the author should have. But in real life you didn't have the options of a fictional hero, and your strength didn't grow just because you needed it to. Your strength had limits, and his was always going to be less than Aizen's. He had been doing the best he could with what he had.

"Weren't you going to go find Shinso for me?" he asked when it became obvious Toshiro wasn't going to say anything.

"You should've asked for help!" Toshiro said angrily and stormed out of the room.

Gin sighed. He wondered if that counted as the father-son bonding Rangiku was always going on about. Toshiro had seemed more frustrated than truly angry when he'd stormed out, so that was progress, right?


	11. Chapter 11

Gin was hanging about outside the meeting hall, putting off, as usual, his arrival to the captains' meeting. Someone was bound to accuse him of being late because he was nervous, but he'd spent his entire career making an art out of arriving late and he wasn't about to change now. He didn't think he looked nervous. He'd bought a watermelon along the walk from the Fourth, much to the annoyance of Toshiro, which was odd since Toshiro usually really enjoyed watermelon. Toshiro refused even a single slice and went on inside the meeting hall, despite the fact that they were five whole minutes early. Gin refused to step inside until he was at least ten minutes late. It was a matter of principle.

So here he was sitting on the railing along the walkway to the meeting hall, munching on watermelon and spitting the seeds at the First Division men passing below while he mused on his son's inexplicable sense of responsibility. He certainly hadn't gotten it from either parent. One might think he could have learned it somewhere, but where exactly? Who could have been his example of responsibility?

Gin took time out of his wondering to greet each captain as they went by. They were all nice enough. Even Soifon didn't try to push him off the railing, though he thought she might have been tempted.

Komamura was a surprise. He wondered how nobody'd thought to mention that to him before. He nearly fell off his perch when the giant greeted him and he looked up to be met by a pair of glittering canine eyes.

Komamura was not amused and demanded to know if Gin had a problem with him.

"No, not at all," Gin told him quickly. "Just two things; one, bravo on keeping me in the dark on that one; I've always thought you must be horribly disfigured, and two, are you a fox or a wolf? I'm not very up on zoology-oh, or a dog-could be a dog's head. Did you know that Shihoin Yoruichi can turn herself into a cat, and a male cat at that, very impressive. I've never known anyone to do that before, but I've never known anyone with a-did you say it was a dog head?-before either. It just goes to show, that English poet was right; there really are more things in heaven and on earth than are dreamt of in one's philosophy-have you seen Hamlet? It's very long and quite depressing; everyone ends up dead, but they mostly deserved it so it could have been worse."

Komamura frowned, which impressed Gin, that an animal face could be so expressive had never occurred to him before.

"Are you coming to the meeting?" the giant, wolf-headed captain finally asked.

"Pretty sure it's required; going to finish my watermelon first though. Could you tell the General I'll be just a couple of minutes-seriously, though, wolf?"

Komamura sighed. "I will see you at the meeting, Captain Ichimaru," he said, nodding his head in a slight bow before walking away.

"That's one very polite wolf-fox," Gin said to himself, before spitting the last watermelon seed into a young shinigami's cleavage.

The girl was a good fifty feet below him and didn't seem to have any idea what had happened. He thought he heard her yell something about a bug, panicking as the black seed slipped into her shihakusho.

He was watching in some amusement as the girl jumped about tugging at her clothes and her two girl friends tried to suggest ways of getting the 'bug' out of her clothing.

There was a soft chuckle behind him, and he turned to find Kyoraku grinning at him. "So the trouble-maker is by nature a trouble-maker," he said. "I can't wait to tell Ukitake; he thought it might be a part of your smokescreen, along with the grin, which I am glad to see is very much intact."

Gin's grin grew. "I've never had to pretend to be an asshole," he said, pleasantly.

"I told Ukitake it was too much to hope," Kyoraku agreed. "Ready to come to the meeting? You've already delayed us twelve minutes, that's well within your average."

Gin frowned. "But I haven't seen-" he broke off. He'd been counting captains as they went by and he'd only gotten to nine, even assuming Yamamoto had arrived before him. Then, subtracting Aizen and Tosen from thirteen and counting himself, and- "Ukitake's out sick?"

"He tends to be down for a while after he pushes himself. You heard he used Sogyo no Kotowari to counter Aizen's illusions?"

Gin nodded. That was the other reason Aizen had wanted him to keep the captain out of commission. The illusions were so perfect it was unlikely anyone would suspect them, but in case they did Ukitake's bankai could dissolve them. They'd expected him to destroy the illusion of Aizen's body after Kyoraku was warned by Urahara, but Gin, at least, had been surprised to hear Ukitake had managed bankai again to put a stop to Aizen's illusions before Yamamoto slaughtered Toshiro. He was also grateful-grateful to Kyoraku, too, for putting himself between the two with a barrier that was probably half the reason Toshiro had survived. It was an uncomfortable feeling being grateful to others, and he supposed he'd have to find a way to pay the two captains back at some point. For now though, "Did I mention to anyone that Nemu needs to throw out her jasmine-scented shampoo and also the cocoa butter lotion if she still has that and, well, probably, to be on the safe side, she should probably buy an entirely new set of soaps and cosmetics, because you know, I may have been adding one of Kurotsuchi's experimental poisons to just about all of her toiletries for the past few years."

Kyoraku's easygoing smile slipped for only the tiniest instant before he answered. "No, I don't think you had mentioned that. I'll pass it along though-come along, Gin-kun, we really are getting late, and Yamaji's liable to assign us extra work if we don't get a move on."

Gin nodded and followed after the senior captain, feeling more than a little uneasy. He wasn't sure why, and he was still thinking about it while Yamamoto began the meeting and did his usual bit of scolding Gin for being late. It was when Yamamoto said something to the effect of there no longer being any reason for Gin to draw negative attention to himself if he was no longer playing Aizen's smokescreen that Gin realized what was bothering him.

He really had never minded being hated by the entire population of Seireitei. It had been amusing to him because they were doing exactly what he intended, allowing themselves to buy the image of himself he created and completely missing the monster Aizen in his shadow. It had worked brilliantly, but now, now he would have to be himself, no more playing a part, and if they hated him they hated the real him. For the most part it still didn't matter. He didn't care how much Yamaji or Soifon or nearly any of the other captains or anyone else hated him. But there were a few people, like Kyoraku, that he realized it would actually kind of bother him to be hated by.

And that annoyed him. He'd absolutely known his actions, once revealed, would only lead to greater condemnation. He'd been prepared to be hated by Rangiku. What difference did it make if the old drunk thought he was a nasty piece of work?

His gaze shifted to Toshiro beside Kyoraku. The boy looked so serious and determined, always. For now, Toshiro was holding off on any sort of condemnation, mostly because he was so relieved to find Gin was capable of feeling anything at all. He'd imagined his father to be such a monster that almost anything was better, but Gin wondered if as soon as the relief wore off he, too, would realize that his father was still just as much a bastard as he'd ever been, and he'd write him off for good.

He was startled from his thoughts by the General's sharp voice snapping his name, and when he looked up he was pretty sure it was not the first time he'd been addressed. "What's that?" he said quickly.

"Did Aizen ever mention the possibility of harming Yoruichi? Can you guess what his motivation might be if he is involved?"

Gin blinked, confused. "Something's happened to the cat?"

"You could try to listen," Toshiro muttered.

"She has been missing for three days!" Soifon said, furiously. "Her reiatsu has vanished from Soul Society! We've looked everywhere for her! Someone is using extremely powerful barriers to hide her. This must be Aizen's doing!"

"Well, probably," Gin had to agree. "He never said anything about Yoruichi, but I do think she got on his nerves. Seems petty to make her vanish just for that, but, you know, he is."

"You think Aizen would have his minions attack Shihoin Yoruichi just because she gets on his nerves?" Toshiro demanded. Gin was glad to see Toshiro wasn't intimidated by all the other captains. It would be too bad if he was afraid to speak up just because he was centuries younger than them.

Gin shrugged. "Chaos is always nice, and he's always been willing to take the time to sow a little more distrust between divisions. You ever heard that saying, 'united we stand, divided we fall'? Aizen always thought it fit the Gotei perfectly; thirteen divisions, each one perfectly united with complete loyalty to their captain and their squad mates. Each division performs its unique duties near flawlessly, and failure is rare enough to be considered nonexistent. But, if you hit the Gotei with something so big more than one division is needed, chances are you'll have shinigami at each other's throats before they ever get anywhere near their enemies."

"That's absurd," Byakuya said.

Gin shrugged. "I'm not the one who drew on Ukitake."

"That wasn't Captain Ukitake," Byakuya answered, his tone like ice. Apparently he was still a little ticked about being taken down and knocked out of commission for several days by an enemy he hadn't even been able to hit. Learning about Aizen's illusions had clearly not made him feel any better about it.

"You thought it was," Gin said, grinning back at Byakuya. It was always more fun to tease Byakuya where there was absolutely no chance the other captain would draw his zanpakuto.

"It is concerning how easily Aizen set us against each other, but now that we are aware of the problem we can address it directly," Yamamoto answered. "However it cannot have anything to do with Yoruichi's disappearance; she has not been a member of the Gotei for a century."

"But I'll bet your suspects are Gotei members, right?" Gin said. "Considering they took Yoruichi down they must have a decent amount of reiatsu. Even with Aizen making the plans, you've got to have the strength to carry them out. It's why he liked to collect gifted kids out of the Academy-so who's your top suspect?"

Soifon's eyes narrowed. She clearly didn't appreciate his casual attitude. "Lieutenant Hisagi was the last person to see Yoruichi-sama," she answered, coldly.

Gin nearly burst out laughing. "You suspect Hisagi? The kid is a boy scout. Tosen loved the way he soaked up all the truth and justice nonsense but was always frustrated by the fact that the kid wouldn't budge an inch on what right and wrong might be. He wouldn't buy any of that 'for the greater good' nonsense that Tosen loves so much either. Drove Tosen nuts-till Hisagi fell for Ise anyway; then he just told himself Hisagi'd been corrupted by worldly desires, and that's why he was incapable of seeing how right Tosen's philosophy was."

"We also have a murder that points to Lieutenant Hisagi," Soifon told him. "The seventh seat of the Ninth Division was found decapitated in Rukongai. Lieutenant Hisagi's zanpakuto takes the form of two scythes in shikai."

"Well, that's the Ninth down," Gin said, pleasantly. "Tosen a traitor and everyone in the Gotei spreading rumors Hisagi may be a murderer working for Aizen-wonder which division Aizen'll go after next."

He looked over the assembled captain's, considering their various vulnerabilities. The Gotei depended too much on their leaders. If they were taken down most could not easily be replaced. Of four pillars of the Gotei, Yamamoto, Unohana, Kyoraku, and Ukitake, only Unohana had escaped the conflict with Aizen with her reputation completely untouched. The other three had turned against each other. It must have brought them down from their god-like stature within the Gotei. They were mere men now, failable and dangerous, almost like Kenpachi, whose men feared him more than they trusted him. Komamura's men could probably easily be persuaded he was dangerous, even evil, if Aizen decided to try, and Toshiro had yet to earn the trust of his division as a captain. They loved him, but they still mostly saw him as a child. Ukitake was ill as usual so Kaien would be the one to go after there; a squabble among the nobles could bring him down, along with Byakuya and Soifon if it was done just right. And of course Gin's own division and the Fifth, too, were teetering on the brink, one good shove and they were done for.

"Gin-kun is right. We must put a stop to these rumors before they damage Shuhei's ability to run the Ninth. We know he is innocent. He was home with Nanao-chan when Ogawara was murdered. He is being purposefully framed."

Gin tilted his head to one side as he watched Kyoraku, and he wondered how much it weakened Kyoraku and Ise to stick by Hisagi. There were plenty of people who already thought Kyoraku an old fool, but if Ise, who was expected to be the rational one, was already believed to be emotionally compromised as she stuck by her husband, then who was going to believe that Kyoraku was being anything but naive to support them both? Soifon clearly thought he was, and she should know better.

"We cannot allow Aizen to tear down our morale and fragment our army," Yamamoto said firmly. "We must hold fast and not allow false suspicions to divide us. No further accusations will be made against anyone without concrete proof. We have agents of Aizen within the Gotei, but as much as possible, we must keep that knowledge from the rank and file. We will proceed with utmost caution to investigate any individuals under suspicion. We must be careful, first and foremost, not to cast a shadow of doubt over any person. Otherwise an aura of suspicion may fall over the entire Gotei, and we will be incapable of effective operation."


	12. Chapter 12

Kira had had a very long afternoon. He had spent five hours sitting in a corner while he listened to his captain explain the Arrancar in painful detail to a group of shinigami, mostly from the Twelfth, but also General Yamamoto, Captain Kyoraku, and Lieutenant Ise. They had quizzed Gin on Aizen's experiments, on the hollows he used, on his incomplete Hogyoku, and on the Arrancar that had been created. Kira might have found it interesting if it hadn't been in so much detail. It all got far too technical for him. Kurotsuchi, in particular, asked questions that sounded like nothing more than gibberish. Kira had never felt so stupid.

Eventually, it was over, and Kira had walked with his captain back to the Division. It was the first time in his life he'd ever seen Ichimaru Gin look nervous. Yamamoto demanding to know how many shinigami had been killed in the early hollowfication experiments, and he shrugged as he said he couldn't remember but it must have been more than twenty, but going home to face Rangiku, who'd loved him for over a century, and he was dragging his feet and jabbering nervously.

Kira wished his captain luck as they parted, but he didn't think he needed it. Everyone knew how much Rangiku loved Gin, and everyone knew she'd take him back. They knew she'd take him back no matter what he did. She loved him absolutely and unconditionally.

Kira wasn't like a lot of people. He would never say Gin didn't deserve it. In his experience people weren't loved because they deserved to be, and in any case, he knew his captain loved his wife just as absolutely and unconditionally as she loved him. But it was a depressing reminder of his own situation.

He thought about Hinamori as he followed the wandering path back to the main buildings. She seemed to be doing really well considering everything that had happened. She almost never mentioned Aizen, but she didn't try to argue and convince people he wasn't what they thought like she had at first. She seemed to have accepted reality.

As he stepped out onto the clear practice ground behind the division barracks he saw the girl he'd been thinking about sitting on the step up to the back door.

Hinamori stood swiftly and waved to him. She had been waiting for him. That gave him a nice warm feeling. She didn't love him the way he wanted her to, but he was her trusted friend. That was enough.

She crossed the lawn to him and met him with an uneasy smile. "You saw Captain Ichimaru home?"

Kira smiled. He knew she'd never felt comfortable around his captain, few people did, but then she'd tried to kill him, and that was when he realized that she'd thought Ichimaru Gin was the sort of person who would murder someone and joke about it afterwards. She'd thought he was evil. He doubted everything that had happened had changed her opinion much, but he hoped, with time, she and everyone else would see that his captain wasn't so bad.

"Yeah, I didn't hear Rangiku yelling so I guess it's alright," he answered.

"I don't understand how anyone can trust him. I guess she has to since she's married to him, but how can you, after everything he's done, how can you just let him come back like nothing's changed?" Hinamori demanded.

Kira shrugged. "Nothing has changed. Captain Ichimaru's the same person he's always been. He's still my captain."

"But if he was involved with the Arrancar then Captain Isshin and Lieutenant Suzuki-"

"Captain Ichimaru was doing what he believed he had to to protect his family. He did what he could for others when he thought he could risk it. He saved Shiba Miyako, but he couldn't do much, not and keep his cover," Kira answered. "I don't know how he could stand it, watching all those terrible things happen, pretending to be...evil. I couldn't have done it. It would have driven me out of my mind."

"He could stand it because he doesn't feel things like other people do," Hinamori said. "How can you not see that, Kira? He doesn't hurt when he sees other people hurting. He enjoys watching other people's pain. I've seen it, that way he smiles when he says something so horrible, and you know the person he said it to is on the verge of tears, and Captain Ichimaru's smile just gets bigger. It's horrible. How can you trust someone like that?"

Kira sighed. His captain could be horribly cruel when the mood struck him. Weakness, carelessness, and stupidity were faults he absolutely would not allow to pass unnoticed. Displaying any of them would make you a target for his most cutting comments, delivered as jokes, often making others laugh as the humiliation crushed you. Poor Hinamori, with her worshipful adoration of Aizen, had seemed both stupid and weak to Captain Ichimaru, and he had teased her mercilessly.

Of course, he wasn't particularly nice to people who were strong, careful, and intelligent either, but they, at least, could fight back. Captain Ichimaru was a complete bastard, and everyone knew it, Kira included. He hoped that might change now that he wasn't being a villain for Aizen to hide behind, but it was a pretty faint hope. Like Hinamori said, Captain Ichimaru seemed to enjoy his little cruelties.

"I guess he's not a nice person," Kira said, slowly. "But I know he does feel things. I know he loves Rangiku and their children, and he'd do anything for them. I know, as a captain, he's never been careless with the lives of our men. We haven't lost anyone since I've been here, because of him and how hard he makes us train. He'd never win any popularity contests among the captains, but he knows the name of every person in our division and every last weakness they have, and he does everything he can to force them to improve. He takes care of us, not so anybody'd ever notice, but we are stronger, smarter, and more united than the Third ever was before.

"I trust him because he is my captain. I know him, and I know that more than anything else he wants to protect Soul Society so that his family can be happy and safe. He is going to do whatever it takes to protect Soul Society. That's enough for me. I'll follow him wherever he leads."

Hinamori looked away, shaking her head. "That's not right. Captain Ichimaru is selfish, and he hurts people. He's not trying to protect anyone. He's not."

"He nearly died for Toshiro," Kira said. He didn't want to bring up what Aizen had done, didn't want to remind her of how close she had come to death at Aizen's hand, but it had happened, and she couldn't just close her eyes and pretend.

"Did he?" Hinamori said softly, staring out at the moonlit woods. "Is that really what happened? How can we ever know for sure?"

"Toshiro told me," Kira said gently. "He told me everything that happened."

She shook her head again. "It doesn't make sense," she muttered. Then she raised her head, looking up at Kira with eyes that seemed far too wide. "You will always tell me the truth, won't you, Kira? I can always trust you, can't I?"

"Of course," he agreed, but he was worried. There was something wrong with Hinamori. She wasn't as alright as she usually seemed. Losing Aizen must have hurt her more than she was willing to admit. "I'm always here for you."

She smiled and suddenly stretched up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "Thank you, Kira," she said softly. Then she turned and raced away, another shadow in the night.


	13. Chapter 13

Finally to the end of The Best Mistake :) Was 20k words excessive? Probably, but in my defense I did absolutely no set up for this story in that one, except having Aizen take Rukia which was a completely spur of the moment decision. I had no idea how I was going to fix it. Now I've got my set up done-mostly-so we can get on with things. :)

The children were all asleep, including Yuki who'd woken up wailing for a midnight snack just when everyone else was settling down. She had taken some effort but had finally given in.

Gin had spent the last hour doing his very best to convince Rangiku of his unending adoration, and now she, too, was on the verge of drifting off to sleep, a very dreamy, satisfied smile on her lips.

Gin wanted to let her go to sleep; just like her, he'd like to leave the past behind, never to be considered or explored, but that wasn't going to happen. Everything he had ever said or done was going to be questioned, examined, and revisited by every captain of the Gotei and probably a great many other people as well. They would know exactly who he was and what he had done, and Rangiku, if she remained by his side, would be giving implicit support. She needed to know exactly what sort of monster she was supporting.

"I need to tell you what I've done," he said, pulling away from her embracing arms and rolling onto his back. He stared up at the room's shadowy ceiling. That was all she'd seen, shadows of the darkness in him. It was easy to forgive the vague ideas, lies to protect them, cooperation and collaboration with an enemy, again to protect them, even the idea of murder committed in the abstract, with the eventual goal of saving all of Soul Society, was forgivable, but he wondered if she could really forgive his actions when a light was shined over it all and every detail was visible.

She'd said she would, and as insane as it was, he found he believed her, but she still needed to know.

Rangiku immediately moved close, wrapping an arm around him. Her fingers rested on his shoulder, where she could feel the beginning of the scar that crossed his back. She called it a reminder of how much he loved Shiro. He thought of it as more of a reminder of just how close he had come to being the kind of monster who could allow his own son to be cut down in front of him. He'd known it was coming, known from the moment Aizen learned that Shiro had mastered bankai that Shiro had a target on him. Those who were strong but not useful, they all did. Sooner or later Aizen intended for every last one of them to die—and Gin had been entirely okay with that.

"Not for me," Rangiku said softly. "I don't need a confession. I know it's hard for you to share, but if there is anything that you want to tell me I will listen. I love you, and that's not going to change. You can tell me what you need to, but you can hold back what you need to, too."

He wrapped his arms around her. Even as he tried to push her away with his words he could not stop himself from holding her as close as possible. "I sent Suzuki and his team to their deaths. I chose them knowing they were going to die. Then I went and watched." He started with the crime that had most affected her, the one with the least justification, that he personally was most guilty for. Maybe that would finally knock some sanity into her and convince her that she couldn't stay.

Her hand tightened painfully on his shoulder for just an instant before relaxing. "Oh, Gin," she said softly. "I'm so sorry."

"What?" Whatever reaction he had expected that was not it.

"You liked Lieutenant Suzuki, and your men, they're the only ones you've ever lost. You didn't want to sacrifice them, did you?"

"That's hardly the point, Ran."

"I think it is. That's what you did, isn't it? Aizen gave the order, and you obeyed. You sacrificed them because you thought you had to if you were going to have a chance to stop Aizen. What would have happened if you'd refused?"

"I don't know," he answered, but that wasn't exactly true. He had guesses. His own death was probably the best outcome. There were plenty of themes and variations on his family suffering and himself being forced to do what he'd refused to do in the first place. Once he'd joined AIzen's little conspiracy his actual choices had quickly disappeared, but he had known that would happen when he joined.

"I never considered refusing," he said. "From the very beginning I resolved to become the most monstrous of all of his men. I chose the crimes that brought me to his right hand. I murdered the third seat for no other reason than to get his attention. I planned it out in cold blood, and I went and murdered a living person without a second thought. When Aizen questioned me about it I smiled because I was so happy it had worked. I never questioned Aizen's orders because I didn't want to. My place at his right hand was more important to me than any number of lives."

For a while Rangiku was silent, and Gin wondered what she was thinking, if she was finally beginning to understand. She insisted on seeing him as someone who cared about the people around him. He needed her to see that was completely untrue. He would have happily burned all of Soul Society to the ground if that could have guaranteed her safety and happiness.

"How did you know?" Rangiku asked, refusing, as far as Gin could tell, to understand what he was telling her, and going off on a completely different tangent. "When no one else had ever figured it out? How did you know? If you killed that officer to get his attention you must already have known what he was."

Gin sighed. He should have known this would be what was important to her. She really didn't want to know what horrible things he had done, only why. "Do you remember when I was out, that last year we were in Rukongai, and you followed me and you were hurt? I had to carry you home on my back?"

Rangiku shook her head. "It's pretty hazy. All I remember is being really tired for a long time afterwards, and I remember you were upset, but you wouldn't tell me why."

"One of his men stole your reiatsu. They did the same to a lot of people in Rukongai, trying to make a Hogyoku of their own. I followed them and saw what they were doing. I saw Aizen leading them."

"And you decided to stop him?" Rangiku said softly. "Before you'd ever gone to the Academy? Why would you think you could ever-and I thought Shiro-chan was determined. You really decided you were going to find a way to stop a lieutenant of the Gotei when you were nothing but a half-starved orphan from Rukongai?"

Gin thought about that for a moment. He supposed, looking back, that it probably wasn't the usual reaction for someone in his position when discovering that kind of evil. He knew the rules for survival in Rukongai as well as anyone. Keep your head down and if you did happen to run into anything dangerous, run as fast as you could in the opposite direction. Even those who made an art of looking tough only ever picked on those they knew they could beat and would vanish when anyone with real strength happened to pass through. Shinigami were never, ever to be messed with. "He made you cry," he finally answered.

Rangiku let out the softest of laughs. "All of this because I cried? I'm pretty sure everything you've done to try to stop him has caused me more than a few tears."

Gin sighed. It wasn't like he was unaware of how hard it'd been on Rangiku. He knew it had hurt her every time he tried to put distance between them, every time he lied to her or refused to tell her what he was doing. Even without Shiro constantly pointing it out to him he was very much aware of how often she drank or cried herself to sleep because of him. "We could have tried to run," he admitted. He'd never really considered that option, not even when they'd been powerless nobodies. It wasn't like he'd never run before. Running and hiding was how he stayed alive, but Aizen, he was too big to run from. From the very beginning Gin had understood that Aizen was a threat to every single person in Soul Society. "Maybe for awhile you could have been happy, but in the end, if he's not stopped, Aizen's going to destroy everything. There's no way to make you safe without stopping him."

"And that's what matters?" Rangiku said softly. "That I'm safe? That's all that matters?"

"Yes."

She drew a deep breath. "If he had promised never to hurt me-"

"He offered," Gin interrupted. "But I couldn't trust-"

"But if you could have trusted him?"

"If I knew you would always be safe-but you would be unhappy. You would cry. You love this world and these people so I will fight and if necessary I will die to defend them for you."

"But not because you care?" The sadness in her voice was painful to him. She wanted him to feel that same love she felt for everyone and everything around them, but it wasn't possible. For him she was the universe; she was all that gave value and purpose. He loved what brought her joy and hated what brought her pain.

His own feelings? He would swear he didn't have any, that he was utterly indifferent to anything that did not affect Rangiku. His own words to Aizen, calling himself a snake, cold and unfeeling, devouring everything in his path, might be the truth. Then again, Rangiku's long ago description of him as someone who didn't dare to let anyone in because he was afraid might be more accurate. He'd always known he was a coward.

The children had gotten in somehow. He couldn't deny that he loved them. Risking his life for Shiro was telling, but even more so was the fact that he had sacrificed all of his plans as well. Saving Miyako had been a calculated risk, and mostly for Rangiku anyway, but Shiro, he hadn't even considered Rangiku before stepping between Shiro and Aizen's blade.

"I can't," he said softly. "I've already got you and the kids to worry about. If I try to start worrying about everyone else I'll go mad."

She nodded against his chest. "You probably would," she agreed. "It is pretty hard work for you-giving a shit."

"It's exhausting. I have no idea how you manage it."

"I skip most of my work."

"Of course you do."


	14. Chapter 14

Eight days after Aizen's escape:

Kinta let them in, Shiba Kaien and his guest. Yuki had just spit a large percentage of her breakfast down Rangiku's back, and Gin was searching for clean socks, and no one but Kinta had noticed the knock at the door.

"Damnit, Yuki," Rangiku swore. "That was my last clean kimono--has anyone seen what I did with--"

She broke off abruptly. She was crawling on the floor, holding a baby covered in spit up against her shoulder that was equally decorated, and trying to tug a burp rag from under the couch. She supposed there was probably some way she could have looked even less dignified, but as she actually had to use the baby to hide the fact that one of her breasts was falling out of her kimono, she doubted it.

"Kaien," she gasped, forcing a smile while she tried to subtly adjust her clothing. Her eyes were focused on the boy a step behind him even though she addressed the lieutenant. He had brought the orange-haired human with him. "How nice to see you so early in the morning."

The human, she remembered his name was Ichigo, was staring determinedly at anything that wasn't her. She hoped she hadn't given him too much of an eyeful.

"Sorry, Rangiku," Kaien said, not looking overly apologetic. "I was hoping to catch the captain before he'd gone in for the day."

"Can you play with me, Uncle Kaien?" Kinta demanded, grabbing hold of Kaien's hand and trying, unsuccessfully to drag him back toward the door. When he realized Kaien wasn't moving he hung onto him instead, picking up his feet and swinging on Kaien's hand.

"Shiro-chan left an hour ago but if you mean Gin--"

"I give up!" Gin declared, stepping into the hall. "I'll steal a pair from the division laundry--oh, hello."

He stopped abruptly and smiled hugely at Kaien and Ichigo, and Rangiku was unsurprised but a little disappointed to see the fox-smile was back.

"Captain, I thought I'd come and introduce you properly," Kaien said. "This is--"

"Ichigo, good to see you survived," Gin said, in his most faux-friendly tone. "Not that I would expect otherwise from Isshin's son, but--"

"Isshin?" Rangiku interrupted, too stunned to even know what she felt. "Gin? My Isshin? Captain Isshin?"

Kaien was not far behind her. An exclamation of, "What?" was quickly followed by, "This had better not be your idea of a joke, Ichimaru!"

Ichigo just looked confused.

Gin stepped up to Rangiku and set his hands on her shoulders, making a bit of a face when he realized he'd set his hand in baby spit up, but deciding to ignore it in favor of turning Rangiku to face Kurosaki Ichigo. "I don't know the whole story," he told her. "Aizen only let me know of his existence a few years ago, but this is Shiba Isshin's son, the human son of two shinigami, born in the World of the Living. Aizen believes his potential may be limitless, and from what I've heard Urahara Kisuke seems to believe the same--Lieutenant Ichimaru, I'd like you to meet your previous Captain's son, Kurosaki Ichigo. Ichigo, this is my wife, Rangiku. She's the kindest person you'll ever meet; she almost makes up for having to know me."

Rangiku was staring at Ichigo in complete and utter disbelief, making the boy look even more uncomfortable than he already had. "Is--is Isshin still alive?" she asked finally.

"My dad?" Ichigo asked, still unable to process any of this. "Yeah, freak like that? He'll probably live forever."

Rangiku bit back a cry.

"Isshin's alive?" Kaien burst out.

Ichigo found the entire experience of meeting the Ichimaru family surreal. First of all, Gin had actually already threatened to kill him twice, and even if he said he'd never really meant it he continued to smile at Ichigo in exactly the same way he had when he'd sent Shinso within inches of killing him. It was disturbing, and Kaien's assurances that Gin was that way with everyone did not help.

But then there was the home and the two little kids. Hair colors aside, Kin-chan and Yuki were absolutely normal kids. Kin-chan had seated himself between Ichigo and Kaien when he realized no one was going to go outside with him and brought a pile of paper and a set of crayons with him. He was drawing scribbles that looked remarkably like the artwork Yuzu and Karin used to produce. He was just like any other kid. And the home, aside from the lack of electronics, could have been on his street. He could be visiting some neighbor's house, and that was absolutely the first time he had felt that way since coming to Soul Society. And that felt more wrong than every strange thing he'd seen so far; this was Soul Society, the land of the dead, could there really be people here living completely normal lives? And how one earth was it that Ichimaru Gin was the one with the ordinary life?

Rangiku was the worst though, for making Ichigo feel completely uncomfortable. No mother in his experience ever looked like that. She wasn't beautiful; she was hot, so hot, and she moved like the entire goal of every movement she made was to bring more attention to the absolute perfection of her body. A mother should not do that.

Ichigo did his best not to stare, and the fact that Gin noticed and was amused was really annoying. He was trying to answer all of Rangiku's questions about his dad, and his mom, and his sisters as politely as possible, and the way Gin kept smirking at him was enough to drive him out of his mind.

He'd been there for the better part of an hour when it suddenly occurred to Rangiku that as hostess she ought to be offering her guests tea and snacks and shoved Yuki into her husband's arms before hurrying off to the kitchen.

"She seems to be taking things well," Kaien said as he watched Rangiku leave.

"She does seem to," Gin answered. He was holding Yuki as she balanced determinedly on her pudgy little legs, just like any daddy with a baby, which was just so, so strange to Ichigo, especially when he remembered the savage grin Gin had turned on Kaien when the lieutenant had drawn his zanpakuto and told Ichigo to run. He wondered which was the real Ichimaru Gin, and if a person could be both a loving father and a vicious killer.

"No one's been contacted about Rukia," Kaien said. "You told Yamamoto--"

"Not even Kuchiki?" Gin asked sharply.

"No one's heard anything," Ichigo said. "Does that mean she's dead?" He hated that Ichimaru was their only source for information. It seemed to him like these shinigami with all their strange technology should have some way to figure out what was going on in Hueco Mundo, something better than asking Ichimaru, who even he could tell was completely untrustworthy.

Gin shifted Yuki to the crook of one arm, which she didn't seem to appreciate but being less than six weeks old there wasn't much she could do about it but squirm and fuss. "Could he be drawing out the uncertainty? Why bother when he doesn't get to watch them suffer? Doesn't seem right--not without a reason. He wouldn't be waiting for Ukitake to recover. Last thing he'd want is someone to calm everyone down. Wonder what he's waiting for?"

We're thinking about going after her to Hueco Mundo."

"Well, that's a lovely idea," Gin said. "Do say hello to Aizen for me--if you happen to live that long."

"So you think that's a bad idea?" Kaien said.

"Of course it's a bad idea, although, well, letting him decide the timetable is even worse. I don't know why everyone seems fine with that, giving him time to use the Hogyoku, to get all of his pretty little Espada just right, and for what? No one in the Gotei's going to make any leaps and bounds in strength over the next six months. I think we ought to try going on the offense for once, but that's just me. I always prefer to play offense."

"But you just said going to Hueco Mundo would be a bad idea," Ichigo protested.

"The two of you alone wouldn't be an offense. You'd be hollow food," Gin answered, but as he spoke Yuki finally got sick and tired of her position and burst out screaming.

Rangiku raced back into the room, demanding, "What did you do?" As she took the wailing baby from his arms.

"Nothing!" Gin protested as he watched Rangiku pace back and forth soothing the screaming infant. "She just started crying!"

"You must have done something! She was perfectly happy two minutes ago," Rangiku snapped back. The baby was starting to calm down, but her mother did not look happy.

"Can't you even give me two minutes to put on some tea and change into something that's not disgusting?" she demanded gesturing at the patch of dried baby spit up on her shoulder. "They're your children, GIn! I'd think you'd want to have some part in their lives! Do you really think I can just do it all by myself?" Her voice had been growing more frantic with each word, and then she started crying. "Did you really think I'd be alright if you were gone? How could you think I could do any of this without you? I need you! I need you every single day! Why can't you understand that? How could you ever think about leaving me?"

Gin was on his feet and his arms were around her. "I didn't want to, Ran. I swear, I didn't."

Kaien and Ichigo decided it was time to make a quick exit. Kaien made a quick stop by the kitchen on the way out to take the over boiling kettle off the stove.


	15. Chapter 15

Nanao was not surprised to find Rangiku walking up and down the length of her porch trying to sooth a wailing baby to sleep. It was late afternoon and screaming seemed to be Yuki's favorite activity that time of day.

Kin-chan waved to Nanao from the middle of what had once been a very pretty little stream that ran across the length of the captain's garden, but was now mostly an muddy mess thanks to Kin-chan's efforts to connect it to a decorative pond. He had apparently wanted the koi to be able to swim to freedom.

As soon as Aiko saw him she started fighting violently against her mother's hold. "Let go!" she ordered. "Let go! Let go!"

"What do you say?" Nanao demanded, holding onto the squirming girl with an effort.

Aiko stopped fighting abruptly and Nanao was sure she could read her daughter's thoughts written across her face. She was clearly considering whether joining Kinta was worth saying the words Nanao required.

Finally she gave in. "Down, please," she said, looking thoroughly disgusted.

"Of course," Nanao answered, setting Aiko down and cringing inwardly at the destruction that was soon to be wrought on her daughter's clothing. "Play nicely."

Nanao turned to the porch where Rangiku seemed to be having little luck settling Yuki down. "I'll take a turn," she offered, stepping out of her sandals and up onto the porch.

"Please, God," Rangiku groaned, handing over the baby and immediately retreating to collapse on the couch.

It took Nanao nearly half an hour to get the baby to sleep and by then her mother was snoring.

For a moment Nanao actually considered waking Rangiku up. She had not come over to volunteer to babysit after all, but the poor thing did look utterly exhausted.

Rangiku woke up an hour later to find Nanao seated at the kotatsu with her daughter and Kinta, both looking freshly laundered. Somehow Nanao had both children sitting politely and sipping tea and eating manju like civilized people. It amazed Rangiku that Nanao could get such behavior out of Kin-chan, but she had noticed Nanao was willing to put a hell of a lot more effort into getting the behavior she wanted than Rangiku ever had been.

She sat up and looked around while she stretched. Yuki was asleep on a pallet. That was miraculous. Yuki slept pretty well once you actually managed to get her there, but Nanao had somehow managed to wash Kin-chan and Aiko without either of them screaming loud enough to wake her. Rangiku was impressed.

"Did you save me any?" she asked when Kinta smiled at her and said, "Good morning, Mommy."

"Yep, these are yours," he told her, shoving the tray of snacks in her direction and nearly off the table. Nanao caught hold of it when it reached the edge. "Can I show Ai-chan Nii-chan's legos? Aunt Nanao said I had to ask you first."

"Sure, he said he's too old for toys anyway," Rangiku answered. She knew Shiro would be annoyed when he found his brother had taken apart all his little models, but that was his problem. He was the one who wanted to be a grownup. She was annoyed at him for taking a box of his books to the Tenth a couple days earlier. She knew that was just the first step toward moving out entirely.

"So how is everything?" Nanao asked carefully.

Rangiku frowned. The only time it annoyed her how quickly news traveled in Seireitei was when she herself was the news. "Miyako told you?" she guessed, sure Kaien would have told his wife about her breakdown this morning.

"Only because she couldn't check on you herself," Nanao answered. "She's hosting the humans, and she says the family's being more difficult than usual, so she couldn't get away, but she's worried about you. Is there anything we can do to help, Rangiku?"

Rangiku sighed. "I'm alright, really. I just needed to cry, I think. It's been a pretty awful week-but I have Gin back, so it's alright. It is."

"You sound like you're trying to convince someone," Nanao said.

"Well, how do you feel with Shuhei-kun getting mixed up in everything?" Rangiku demanded, defensively.

"Shuhei hasn't done anything wrong!" Nanao snapped back.

Rangiku opened her mouth. Then she stopped herself, and she took a deep breath. "But it's scary, isn't it? Knowing whatever happens you can't protect him? At least you know he hasn't done anything. Gin-he's done really horrible things, Nanao, and I understand why, but I'm so afraid. They all hate him so much. Are they really going to let him go in the end? If he really helps, if he does everything he possibly can, is it going to be enough? What if someone decides it isn't?"

"They've given him a full pardon," Nanao said.

"But that's not enough to keep him safe in battle. How can he go with them to fight Aizen when they don't trust him, and he can't trust them? Someone who's supposed to watch his back might decide to stab him in the back."

"Do you really think anyone would do that?"

Rangiku's eyes dropped to the tea cup cooling in her hand. "Maybe not, but they might decide to watch when an enemy did. It's not-it's not like he wouldn't deserve it. But I need him to come home to me."

"You need to have faith in the Gotei, Rangiku. No shinigami would fail in their duty to their allies due to any personal feelings no matter how justified they might feel. They have more honor than that."

The end of Nanao's sentence dropped off into silence as the shoji door to the hall was slowly drawn open. Both women turned, expecting to find the children there, but instead a strange man stood in the doorway, a slender, young man with a face devoid of emotion and utterly white. He was not a shinigami; he wore only white. On his head was a strange, bone-like half-helmet with a large horn, and at the base of his neck was an empty, black hole. The only color was in his eyes which were brilliant green and focused currently on the two women.

They both knew what he was, though they had never seen one before. He was an Arrancar, not half-formed like the ones they had heard horror stories about, but perfect. How an Arrancar had found his way into the center of Seireitei was immaterial. He was here now, and Nanao and Rangiku both knew they were no possible match for him, even if either had had a zanpakuto, which they didn't.

"Which one of you is Ichimaru's wife?" he asked; his voice was as cold and empty as his face.

Nanao's breath caught, and her eyes went to Rangiku. Rangiku drew every bit of her strength together, fighting the fear that held her paralyzed. She'd never felt so weak or helpless in her life, not even when she didn't know if Gin would ever come home again. This was a monster in her home, with her babies, and she could not fight him-but he had asked for Gin's wife; maybe she was the only one he had come for. That thought gave her the strength to move. She pushed off the table to get to her feet. "I am. I am Ichimaru Rangiku," she said, firmly, and then she asked, "Did you hurt the children?"

His eyes narrowed. "You are not very strong," he said, sounding vaguely puzzled.

"Did you hurt them?" Rangiku repeated. Nothing else mattered. He was in her home, standing between her and Kin-chan. She couldn't even think about anything else.

He raised one long, thin arm and pointed past the two women toward the garden.

They both turned immediately. There were Kinta and Aiko, hand in hand, walking down the narrow path to the main division buildings. Something halfway between a sob and a laugh escaped Nanao's mouth, but Rangiku felt no relief. The monster was still too close.

She turned back to face him and found he had moved directly in front of her, and before she could speak his hand was around her neck.

"I have brought Ichimaru a present," the white creature said softly. "From Lord Aizen. It is in the children's room. I have sent them to fetch him so he will see it before it spoils."

"What is it?" Rangiku asked. Despite the hand around her neck, all she could feel was relief. He was not here to harm the children. He had another purpose in being here.

His eyes with their sad, painted tear lines stared into her face as though he was trying to see something, but he couldn't seem to find whatever it was he was looking for. "Why did Ichimaru choose you?" he asked finally. "He held a position of honor and strength. Why would he abandon it to tie himself to you and these children? You will do nothing but hold him back. Likely, you will be the cause of his death. I do not understand such a foolish choice when Ichimaru is no fool."

"You have no heart. How could you understand?" Rangiku answered.

"Even Lord Aizen cannot give a hollow back its heart, but if it the source of such foolishness then I do not regret its loss," he answered.

Rangiku felt his nails pierce her skin, and she gasped at the sudden pain.


	16. Chapter 16

Kinta appeared at Gin's office window just like his brother had a thousand times before, but unlike Toshiro he did not wait patiently for his father to acknowledge his presence. "Daddy!" he yelled quite loudly, interrupting a report Kira was giving and Gin was ignoring.

Both Gin and Kira turned abruptly to the window, and Gin, at least, was very surprised to find Kinta had a small, well-dressed girl with him. She seemed vaguely familiar, but it wasn't like Kinta to collect toddlers, familiar or otherwise. He usually stuck to reptiles and amphibians.

"Who is this?" Gin asked. He couldn't imagine any parent had actually allowed Kinta to borrow their child, and he expected he would be receiving a visit from an angry parent at any moment.

"It's Ai-chan! Don't you know Ai-chan, Daddy?" the boy demanded.

Gin's eyes widened. Make that a very angry parent. Nanao rarely even brought the girl over, liking, in Rangiku's words, 'to keep complete control over everything her daughter touches'. He couldn't imagine Nanao would be pleased to find Kinta had run off with the girl.

"Don't you think you should take her back to her mommy?" he suggested, hoping to avoid being around for that particular show.

"The white man said to bring her with me," Kinta answered. "He told me to tell you he brought you a present, and Ai-chan had to come too, and her mommy wouldn't get angry or anything."

The white man? Had Captain Ukitake come to visit Rangiku? That didn't make any sense. Ukitake wasn't likely to be in a state to make social visits if he wasn't up to attending a captains meeting. "Who's 'the white man'?" Gin finally had to ask.

"He had a really hard name; do you remember it, Ai-chan?" The boy asked the little girl who was currently sucking her thumb. "It was Ul-ul-something. He's Captain Aizen's friend."

"Stay with them," was all Gin said, before he vanished through the open window, racing toward his home with the speed of shunpo.

Kira just managed to grab hold of Kinta before he took off after his father. He, too, wanted to chase after his captain, but he knew his captain needed him here, guarding his son, so he could pursue the enemy without worrying about one of his children, at least.

Gin didn't stop until his arms were around Rangiku. Shinso lay naked on the floor beside him, forgotten the instant he'd seen her. She was on her knees in the living room with Yuki crying in her arms, and she was shaking like a leaf. "I'm here, Ran," he said. "I'm here."

"Ai-chan?" Nanao asked, her soft voice was filled with an emotion so alien to anything he'd ever heard her express it didn't even sound like her; she was terrified.

"They're both fine," Gin answered, raising his head to meet Nanao's gaze. "Aiko and Kin-chan are with Kira. They're safe." They weren't. They would never be safe again, but Gin wasn't going to tell their mothers that, not with Rangiku still trembling in his arms. "What happened?"

Rangiku raised her head, and that was when he saw the blood. Four narrow lines had been drawn across her throat, and blood oozed slowly from each one.

He froze when he saw that. That was Rangiku's life ended four times over, and he knew which Arrancar Aizen had sent because there was only one who could have put his hand around Rangiku's throat and still resisted the urge to kill her. Ulquiorra had been in their home.

Rangiku seemed to realize what he was staring at because she grabbed one of Yuki's burp rags and pressed it against her neck, hiding the blood from his gaze. "I'm fine," she said softly. She sat back and forced a smile. "Nothing happened. It's okay."

Gin nodded slowly, but he couldn't seem to respond. He couldn't stop thinking about Ulquiorra with his hand around Rangiku's throat.

Behind him, he heard Nanao begin to speak. Even after what had happened she was still first and foremost Lieutenant Ise, and Lieutenant Ise always did what needed to be done. Her voice barely trembled as she called in a report. "The Gotei must be put on full alert. Seireitei has been infiltrated. An Arrancar was seen within the Third Division. It is believed to be leaving the city-"

"No one beneath captain class," Gin managed to force the words out with an effort. "They can't touch it."

"Do not engage the Arrancar," Nanao said into her phone. "No one beneath captain class is to engage or attempt to detain the Arrancar."

Around them they could hear the wail of distant sirens. The city was on alert, but they all knew there was little hope the Arrancar would not easily escape if he was still in the city at all.

"Captain Ichimaru, the Arrancar said it brought you a gift from Aizen. It left it in the boys' room. I think it best you determine what it is immediately."

Gin released Rangiku reluctantly and took hold of Shinso before he stood. His eyes were still on Rangiku, holding tightly onto their crying daughter. Ulquiorra had not harmed either of them, nor had he hurt Kin-chan or Nanao's daughter; Gin had never imagined he would come out of an encounter with an Espada so fortunate. "Lieutenant Ise," he said, realizing there was one member of his family still unaccounted for. "Could you please contact Toshiro? Let him know the Arrancar has a particular interest in our family."

He did his best to ignore Rangiku's shocked gasp at his mention of Toshiro. He needed to see what Aizen had thought worth sending Ulquiorra all this way to deliver, and he needed to do it before he lost his nerve entirely. The urge to grab Rangiku and run had never been so strong.

It seemed like far too many steps across the wooden porch to the boys' room. The time it took felt infinite. Only Nanao's voice in the background kept time from ceasing entirely.

Gin wasn't sure what he expected as he drew open the rice paper door to the boys' room. A warning, perhaps, to keep his mouth shut, but Ulquiorra's visit to his home was enough to do that all on its own. He could not imagine what more Aizen thought he needed to do to hammer his point home.

He saw immediately that there was someone on the lower bunk, a small person wrapped in a heavy black cloth. For one horrible second he thought it was Shiro, dead, and it took everything he had to take the step into the room to see the person's face.

It was Rukia, her mouth was gagged or he would have been sure she was dead. Her hair was caked with dried blood and stuck to her bruised and battered face. Eyes that had always been so animated stared vacantly, empty. Gin had seen that expression before in Aizen's victims, in the ones he tortured until their minds shattered.

Gin staggered back, and Shinso fell from his grip. He'd gotten the message loud and clear. Aizen could reach into the Gotei anytime he wanted and take whoever he wanted, and he wouldn't just kill them, he would destroy them.

"Ise, call Unohana," he managed to call out as he sank back against the doorframe, no longer even trying to stay on his feet.

He vaguely heard Rangiku demand to know what was wrong, but he couldn't answer her. He couldn't take his eyes off Rukia's still form. As he looked more closely he could see the blanket wasn't completely black. There were dull, stiff areas where the cloth had been stained with blood, many, many places, and a few, he realized were shiny with new blood. She was still bleeding. They hadn't even bandaged her before sending her back.

Rangiku appeared beside him. "Gin, what-"

He watched her expression change from worried to sick almost instantly. "Rukia," she breathed. "It can't-Nanao, call the Sixth!"

She vanished from the room with the baby still crying on her shoulder.


	17. Chapter 17

Renji and Byakuya beat Unohana and the Fourth. Gin was almost grateful for the way Renji shoved him out of the way. He'd managed to pull the blanket away, thinking someone needed to stop the bleeding, but the way she was still bound, naked and bleeding from countless wounds had been too much for him. He had kept seeing Rangiku there instead, Rangiku suffering beyond enduring because of him.

Both men called to the girl as they broke her bonds, but there was no sign of recognition in her empty eyes. She did not move or make a sound, not even showing any reaction when her obviously broken arms had to be moved so the cords that bound them could be broken. She could have been a corpse for all the life she showed.

By the time Unohana arrived Renji was frantic, and Byakuya looked closer to death than his little sister.

Unohana sent Renji away immediately to fetch the human girl, Orihime, the moment she saw the broken girl, and even her calm manner could not completely mask the horror she felt seeing the destruction Aizen had inflicted upon Rukia.

Gin did not even notice Lieutenant Kotetsu's hesitant words to her captain as Unohana bent to examine the girl. "Should we not have Orihime meet us at the Fourth?" she asked, glancing uneasily at Gin.

"I do not dare move her in this state," Unohana answered. "If General Yamamoto does not agree with my decision he may take it up with me later."

"But Captain Ichimaru--"

Unohana looked back over her shoulder, taking in the captain slumped on the floor beside Toshiro's desk. He did not notice her looking at him. His eyes were focused solely on the broken girl. "Captain Ichimaru looks like he may need medical attention as well."

Her words brought Byakuya's attention to Gin. The proud captain's eyes flashed with a new emotion, grief was replaced with hate. "This was a message to you," he said coldly.

Gin raised his head then. His eyes went to Byakuya's frozen face. The horrible despair Gin had so easily identified with was gone. Rage filled the proud captain's cold eyes; Gin couldn't even comprehend it. If that had been Ran--he had to get out of here before he was sick all over everyone.

He staggered awkwardly to his feet and only Senbonzakura suddenly cutting across his path stopped him from fleeing the room.

"You are the reason he did this to Rukia," Byakuya said.

"Your sister needs you now, Captain Kuchiki," Unohana said. "Your argument with Captain Ichimaru can wait."

Byakuya turned away from Gin in disgust.

But Gin could not even move until his lieutenant took hold of his arm and held him steady as he stumbled from the room.

"Rangiku-san," Kira called, and Rangiku appeared in the hallway.

"I think the captain must be sick," Kira tried to explain as Rangiku stepped forward.

"Gin?" Rangiku said softly. Her hand traveled across his forehead and down one cheek, checking for a fever and finding his skin strangely cold and clammy. "I think you may be right."

Gin stepped forward abruptly, wrapping his arms around her and burying his face in her hair. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. Ran, I'm sorry."

Rangiku's eyes went to Kira as she held onto her husband. Gin had never cried in his life, but she could feel moisture soaking into her collar. "Is Rukia--?" she asked helplessly.

Kira shook his head. "I'm sure Unohana can heal her, but--"

His eyes went to his captain, but Rangiku was relieved not to see any of the contempt that some men might feel, seeing their superior break down. Instead, he looked worried and even pitying, and that she had not expected. She had thought she was the only person in the entire Gotei who would see Gin as worthy of any pity at all.

"I'm not sure she's really there anymore," Kira said, softly.

Suddenly there was screaming. Rukia had found her voice and was screaming, horrible, terrified, agony-filled wailing. It was only a moment before Unohana was able to quiet her, but in that moment Gin's arms tightened painfully.

"Gin!" she gasped. "Too tight."

He released her instantly. "I'm sorry," he gasped. Then his trembling hands were on her face, tracing over her skin, studying every curve with a frightening intensity, like he was trying to lock every detail of her face into his memory. "Oh, Ran," he whispered, and his voice held a despair like she'd never imagined. "I've doomed you. My Rangiku, I can't save you. If we could run—but there's nowhere. There's nowhere he can't find you—there's nothing, no way to stop him, no way to save you, nothing, nothing, nothing—"

"No!" Rangiku interrupted him, throwing her arms around him and pulling him close. Her fingers wove through his hair as she held onto him. "I won't give up. I believe in you. I know you will protect me. You always have. You always will."

"I'm sorry," Gin moaned.

"We will help you, everyone here in Soul Society will help you. It will be alright. I promise. You will find a way. Me and the kids, we are all going to make it through this just fine because you are strong enough. You will save us."

The alarms were still blaring when Lieutenant Omaeda finally managed to catch up with his captain. Soifon was running the walls of the city, demanding reports from every guard, trying to determine how the Arrancar had gotten in and if it had yet left.

"Captain! Captain!" he called after her, but, as usual, she ignored him, to busy to deal with his ineptitude.

"We've found--" he gasped and coughed. "Yoruichi-sama!"

She stopped so fast he nearly ran into her. "What did you say?"

"The guards," he panted. "Were killed--the First Division--the Arrancar killed--"

"Stop!" she commanded, holding up a hand. "Breathe first, then speak."

Omaeda took a couple deep breaths, managing to slow his breathing with an effort. "The Arrancar stopped at the First Division and killed the prison guards. It took Captain Tosen. It made a garganta to escape."

"Then it's gone back to Hueco Mundo," Soifon said in disappointment. "But you said you found Yoruichi-sama?"

"Yes, Captain," Omaeda answered, cowering a little under her gaze. "We found her. Yoruichi-sama was in the First Division prison--"

"What?!?" It took all of Soifon's considerable strength to stop herself from screaming at Omaeda, but the head of the Punishment Squad did not scream at incompetent idiots for being incompetent idiots. "How could Yoruichi-sama be in the First Division prison?" she asked very calmly.

"Nobody knows. The guards were killed, and there's no record of an arrest order or anything. The general was very angry. He had his men take Yoruichi-sama straight to the Fourth Division."

"She was hurt?" It took Soifon a little more effort to keep her voice even as she asked that.

"I don't know, Captain. She was unconscious," Omaeda answered.

Soifon vanished and was already halfway to the Fourth before her lieutenant realized he should follow her.


	18. Chapter 18

"Why is the house filled with lieutenants?" Toshiro demanded from the hall that ran the length of the Third Division Captain's residence. On his right, the usually dark kitchen was lit up and he could see Hinamori, Kira, and Shiba Miyako getting tea and snacks ready, and was that the human girl Orihime helpfully suggesting adding a pinch of chili powder and ketchup to the rice crackers?

And on his other side the sitting room had been expanded by removing the sliding doors to the next room and pushing back the couch against the far closet. A second low table had been brought in, and spread throughout the space were Lieutenants Shiba, Ise, Hisagi, and Abarai, and of course his mother so that made five lieutenants in that room to add to the other two, but then there were also the other three humans, Kin-chan asleep on the couch, Aiko asleep on Hisagi's lap, and his father, standing on the porch with his back to everyone and holding Yuki, obviously trying to make it clear he wasn't a part of the current invasion of his home. "And other annoying people?" Toshiro added to his question, just in case anyone might not realize he wasn't thrilled to see them. "Don't all of you have your own captains to harass?"

"I hope you don't consider me an annoyance, Shiro-kun," Miyako said as she stepped up beside him with a tea tray.

He glared at her. She was one of very few people who could get away with calling him that, partly because she'd looked after him since he was a baby, but mostly because he didn't outrank her and had yet to find a way to make people he couldn't boss around stop. "Of course not, Shiba-dono," he answered. He'd noticed quite a while back that she hated that title and had started using it in revenge for 'Shiro-kun', when she'd refused to agree that a captain ought to be addressed with slightly more dignity. "But I do wonder what brings you here at this hour?"

She frowned slightly at the title but chose to ignore it. "Captain Unohana sent Renji-kun for Orihime to help with Rukia. I came along because I hoped to be of some help, but I'm afraid I've mostly been useful in preparing tea."

She crossed into the other room and set down the teapot on the table. Most of the crowd seemed already to have cups, and she offered refills.

"We didn't plan an invasion, Captain," Kaien said. "After the search for the Arrancar was called off I came here looking for Miyako and the others. I think Hisagi arrived about the same time looking for his wife, and Kira and Abarai were already here because of Rukia. Captain Kuchiki's taken her home now; he didn't want anyone but Division Four coming along so here we are. We thought we'd talk strategy if you don't mind."

"Strategy?" Toshiro repeated doubtfully.

"An Arrancar came to Seireitei today and confronted two lieutenants," Kaien said. "Fortunately he wasn't looking to harm them because if he had been neither was in a position to fight back. We want to do whatever we have to to make sure nothing like that ever happens again."

Toshiro's eyes went to his mother. The only sake bottle on the table was beside her, but he was relieved to see she didn't look drunk. This time the sake was just the crutch that was helping her smile so brightly back at him. "Don't worry, Shiro-chan," she told him. "It's not going to happen again."

He'd only received a vague report of what had happened. He knew his mother and Lieutenant Ise had seen the Arrancar that had brought Rukia home, an Arrancar his father had said no one under captain level should confront, but now, looking around the group, he suddenly realized his mother was only alive because Aizen wanted her to be. If he'd ordered her dead she would be.

"It was standing right where you are," Nanao said softly. "And we didn't know where the children were. I couldn't risk a high level kido."

"You're supposed to be under guard," Toshiro said, turning back to his mother. "Where were they?"

"They're dead," Kira said, stepping past Toshiro to add a tray of sweet bean cakes to the snacks on the table. "So are two of our men who were stationed on the south wall and our Fifth Seat, who was alone in a practice field between here and the wall. We think he was killed because he happened to be in the Arrancar's path. It didn't look like he had a chance to fight."

Toshiro glanced at his father. He hadn't lost a man since his first year as captain, now three more in a day. He wondered if it had even registered or the idea that Rangiku had been threatened was so big that everything else seemed entirely insignificant.

"The Arrancar killed four men from the Stealth Squad and a Fifth Seat without anyone noticing?" The men from the Stealth Squad were supposed to be strong enough to prevent Gin from taking off with Rangiku, granted they had a few tricks specifically for that task, but, still, they should have been strong enough to fight back.

"Yes, sir," Kira said, he too glanced at Gin, but his captain still stood on the porch, swaying slowly back and forth to keep the baby asleep. His initial panic seemed to have vanished completely, but Kira knew Gin well enough at this point to realize the panic might have been suppressed, but it was probably shredding him internally. "It looks like Rangiku-san is going to need to be protected by at least two lieutenants any time you or your father isn't here. She can come to the division offices during the day so it'll mostly be for captains meetings and special assignments."

Rangiku sighed, and Toshiro could tell she wasn't thrilled by the idea of being protected by a bunch of her coworkers. He was glad she wasn't telling everyone she could protect herself, but he hadn't been here for the first half of the meeting so maybe she'd already been forced to give in. "You're okay with spending the day in the division offices?" he had to ask.

This time Rangiku took a drink of sake. "I guess I don't really have much choice. It's easier for everyone else that way. Your daddy can keep us safe."

"Dad," Toshiro said. No one else had the nerve to address him, and they obviously needed his opinion if they were going to be making strategies for dealing with Arrancar. "Will that work? You think two lieutenants can handle one of Aizen's Arrancar?"

Gin turned slowly. He was smiling that deadly smile that always sent chills down people's spines, and they never were quite sure why. "One Arrancar, sure, why not?" he said pleasantly.

"You think he's going to send more?" Toshiro asked. He wasn't sure there was anything he hated more in the universe than that smile.

Gin shrugged. "No idea. Didn't expect him to send Rukia all wrapped and tied in a bundle just for me. Should have thought of it, but I didn't. Didn't expect he'd take Tosen back either--why would he do that? Tosen failed; he's weak; he lost to Ichigo and had a lot more trouble with Kaien than he should have. If anything Aizen should have had Ulquiorra kill him. Odd, isn't it? Aizen always does everything for a reason."

"Then why did he do this? Just to scare us?"

Gin shrugged. "Maybe."

Yukiko stirred against Gin's shoulder, and for a moment he shushed her and patted her back, which made such a strange picture that Toshiro blinked in disbelief. Since when did his dad act like a dad?

"You all might want to make sure Kuchiki didn't take it as a personal invitation to visit Hueco Mundo though," Gin added.

"You've got to be kidding me," Toshiro said, as he looked down on his father, kneeling on his office floor in the dark. Gin was bare chested, his kosode and shitagi were discarded on the couch, and he was staring at Shinso's naked blade in his hands. The blade was pointed inward.

Gin did not raise his head. "Without me you will have the same chance everyone else has of surviving this," he said softly. "He will have no reason to hunt you down and no reason to torture you."

"How did a coward like you ever get to be a captain?" Toshiro demanded, hopping down from the windowsill. "If Aizen gets his hands on Mom he is going to make her suffer whether or not you're alive to see it. He's going to make her suffer because you chose her, and he's going to take her apart trying to figure out why. You just don't want to be around to see it. You saw what he did to Rukia, and you're afraid to see that happen to Mom, but you're not going to protect her. You're going to run away, and that," he said nodding at Shiso. "Is the only way you've got left to run."

"I can't protect her, Shiro," Gin said softly as he lowered the zanpakuto to the floor. "I am not strong enough to fight him head on. That was a fact I had to accept a very long time ago. If I was going to kill him I had to do it before he knew it was coming. I had to get one hit, and it had to be enough. One chance was all I was ever going to have, but I didn't take it, and now it's too late--everything I did is meaningless now, my entire life wasted because it was all for a moment that is never going to happen."

"Then do you wish you'd let him kill me--or let him try, anyway? You knew Unohana was coming; I probably would have survived. Doing nothing would have been smarter, I guess. You'd still have your chance."

Gin finally raised his head, and he looked up at his oldest son. Toshiro's expression was hard and cold as usual, giving nothing away. He knew stepping in front of Aizen's blade had made an impression on the boy, that it was probably the first time he'd actually shown Toshiro that he loved him, and it had meant something to him. But, looking at him now, he couldn't even see that Toshiro thought it was anything other than just plain stupid.

"No, Shiro," he said. If there was ever a time to be honest with his son this was it. "I have done very little in my life that I can be proud of, but that, shielding you from Aizen, is one time I made the right choice. You are my son. Whatever the cost, I will protect you."

Toshiro looked away, and Gin wondered what he was thinking. He was always so difficult to read. Just like his father, he held everything in. Gin knew it was a useful skill, but at the same time he wished the boy had inherited some of his mother's openness. She was always happy and always surrounded by people who loved her. He did not want to see Toshiro end up like him, closed off and alone.

"If you get your hit are you sure you can kill him?" Toshiro asked abruptly.

Gin smiled, not surprised Toshiro had changed topics, leaving any discussion of emotions behind as quickly as he could. He would always prefer to discuss what to do over why--and maybe he was right. Maybe Gin had allowed himself too much time dwelling in the fear and hopelessness Aizen so expertly inspired. No one was dead; there was still time to act as long as his own fear did not paralyze him. Toshiro's question reminded him that, no matter how despairing he felt, he was not powerless. He had spent years upon years perfecting a deadly bankai.

Gin looked down at Shinso, and he realized that if it weren't for Toshiro he would have driven the blade through his own heart, letting Aizen win without even giving him a fight. Toshiro was right; he was a coward. It was not time to run. It was time to fight. "As long as Aizen is still a shinigami if I can strike him once he will die."

Toshiro nodded. "Then we will get you your one strike, and we'll do it before he's had time to remake himself with the Hogyoku. With the help of the other captains there is no reason we cannot make that happen."

Gin sheathed Shinso and stood up. "With the help of the other captains? I don't know if you've noticed, Shiro, but I'm not very popular at the moment. It seems unlikely that we're going to be able to talk all the captains into a plan that depends on me to kill Aizen. I'm not sure they'd believe I was really going to do it."

"Maybe not, but I think we can at least convince them we need to act quickly," Toshiro said, looking determined. "Every day he has the Hogyoku he could be making his army larger and stronger. In comparison we might as well be sitting here twiddling our thumbs. As soon as we're back up to full strength we need to go on the offensive, and when we do, Dad, I'll make sure you get your strike. You just make sure you make it count."

Gin smiled back at him. He had never expected this, to actually work with Toshiro toward a common goal. It occurred to him that for the first time in his life he was not on his own. "I will," he promised. Maybe there really was a chance together they could succeed.


	19. Chapter 19

I'm trying to use the fanfin app and I'm having a little trouble getting the breaks to work so I'm trying a couple different things. Hopefully one will actually work. Sorry if it's a bit rough till then

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Nine Days after Aizen's escape:

A tall, careless-seeming man wearing a striped hat and wooden sandals walked along the busy road from the West Gate into Seireitei. He raised his cane to wave and smiled if anyone seemed to notice him particularly and seemed to be doing nothing more than going for a morning walk. No one paid him any particular attention.

A captain appeared abruptly beside him, and at that the crowd on the road drew back a little, but whatever fear the captain might have inspired was mitigated by the golden-haired boy he had slung over one shoulder who was squirming and protesting loudly.

"No fair!" Kinta yelped. "You said if I could beat you to the Tenth I could see Nii-chan!"

"Good morning, Urahara-san," Gin said, ignoring his son's protests as he set him on the ground. "How nice to see you here in Seireitei. I hadn't heard you were expected, and, funny thing, I was under the impression that you were going to call ahead."

"You cheated! Nii-chan says you always cheat!" Kinta added as he was dragged along. "You did 'cause you picked me up, and that's not allowed in a race!"

"Ah, well," Urahara said, shrugging, as he continued to walk along the road. "Seemed like so much trouble--I just thought I'd pop by to pick up my cat. No reason to be a bother to anyone--and is this young Kinta-san?"

Kinta immediately stopped fighting his father and turned to look at Urahara. He grinned pleasantly and said, "I like your hat."

"Why thank you,' Urahara said, smiling back at the boy. "So do I."

"Who are you?" Kinta asked, regarding Urahara curiously.

"Urahara Kisuke; It's very nice to meet you," Urahara told him, pausing just long enough to bow politely.

Kinta's eyes widened to the size of saucers. "I've heard of you! You sell candy!"

"You're well informed," Urahara told him, and he handed over a lollipop. "Don't forget, any time you happen to be in the World of the Living, to drop by Urahara Shoten, supplying the hardworking shinigami since nineteen hundred and two."

"Wow!" Kinta said. "Do you get to eat candy every day?"

"Of course. It's a shopkeeper's duty to sample the merchandise. It wouldn't do to sell anything that might not be of the very best quality."

Kinta nodded his agreement of that wise observation.

Urahara flipped open his fan and turned his eyes to Gin. "What does bring a captain down to check on a lowly shopkeeper, I wonder," he said.

"A lowly shopkeeper," Gin repeated thoughtfully. "Well, Mr. Shopkeeper, I was wondering about the price of a product a dear friend of mine purchased a few years back. You must remember Isshin-san? Quite the vanishing act he pulled. I thought I might purchase the same for Ran and the two little ones."

Urahara hid most of his face as he answered. "Ah, I'm afraid that is the most costly of my products. The price is simple humanity with no chance of returns for the children, I'm afraid."

Gin's hand tightened suddenly on Kinta's. He'd never thought much about how short the lives of humans were, but the thought of his glowing, golden-haired son turning into a doddering old man in a short seventy years was horrifying, and to take his reiatsu, the power he'd already mastered to drive his mother mad with shunpo, it would be beyond cruel.

Kinta, as he walked between the two men, was still looking Urahara over. "I like your shoes too," Kinta said brightly. "I like the noise they make. Mommy won't let me have noisy shoes."

"But it's such a nice noise," Urahara protested.

"Mommy said it'd make her crazy, but Nii-chan always says she's crazy anyway so that's not a good argument," Kinta declared.

Urahara nodded. "It is after all a son's duty to drive his mommy crazy."

"I can do shunpo," Kinta offered.

"And I'm sure that helps," Urahara answered pleasantly.

"Yep, so she got some sekiseki to stop me but that made Yuki so she threw it away, and now I can do shunpo whenever I want except when Nii-chan's home, 'cause he won't let me. Do you know Nii-chan? He's very bossy."

Urahara tilted his head to look at Gin sideways. "It's a very expensive product, Captain Ichimaru, are you still interested?"

Gin took a deep breath. No amount of safety was worthwhile if Rangiku could not be happy, and this, it would steal her children from her in less than a century. He would have to find another way. "I'm afraid I'll have to pass, but I wouldn't say no if you've got another of those lollipops."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yoruichi burst out laughing the moment the door opened. A little boy stepped into the room wearing a too-big green and white striped hat, a black haori that drug on the floor and large wooden clogs. He had a lollipop sticking out of his mouth and a fan in his sticky hands. He was followed by Urahara Kisuke sans hat, haori, shoes, and fan. The only thing he seemed to have managed to keep hold of was his walking stick.

"What happened to you? You get robbed?" Yoruichi demanded.

"Well, I could hardly help it," Urahara answered, smiling. "He asked very politely."

"Did ya, now?" Yoruichi asked, looking down at the child. "And who might you be?"

"I'm Urahara-san," Kinta answered proudly, and he pulled the lollipop from his mouth with a pop. "See? I have candy!"

"You've convinced me," Yoruichi agreed. "Why don't you tell the hat-haired dummy to get lost? I don't need him coming round to rescue me like some knight in shining armor, 'sides the part doesn't suit him at all."

"You've already been rescued," Urahara pointed out, although he was scratching his head and looking more than a little embarrassed. "I just thought you might want to come home, you know, with me?"

"Aah! Have you been worrying about me, Kisuke?" Yoruichi demanded, smiling hugely. "You know I can take care of myself. I can take you anytime, too."

Urahara decided it would be wise not to mention she'd been missing for days and hadn't managed to free herself. "I thought it was about time to bring Ichigo and all home, too, so I thought I'd just drop by and collect everyone. Seemed the easiest way to go about it, least fuss and all, can even leave by the Shiba Gate. I'm sure Kaien-dono won't mind."

"There're a lot of people around looking to talk to you, Kisuke," Yoruichi said as she pulled back the covers and got out of bed. She moved carefully as though each movement caused pain, but while Urahara's eyes took in every slow movement, he made no move to help her. "They're not going to want to let you leave without going to meet with them, Yamamoto especially."

"Not to worry," Urahara answered. "Captain Ichimaru has promised to provide an adequate smokescreen to get us through Seireitei unmolested."

"Oh, he has, has he?" Yoruichi said skeptically.

At that moment the fire alarms went off in Division Four and smoke started seeping under the door.

"That's our signal," Urahara said. He lifted Kinta up out of his sandals and set the boy on his shoulder before slipping into his sandals and grinning at Yoruichi. "Come along. It smells like he's used my Heavy Duty Double-Acting Smoke Bombs. The whole building is going to have to be evacuated. Captain Unohana is going to be terribly cross."

Not only had the smoke bombs been set off in the building Yoruichi had been staying in but in every other building and throughout the main courtyard as well. Shinigami were evacuating with their patients out into the gardens and onto the road outside the gate. No one noticed that Urahara and Yoruichi kept walking.

They had not gone far when they were passed by a small company from the Sixth; then there was another from the Third, and when the came to an intersection a company from the Eleventh was well on its way to picking a fight with another from the Seventh. It soon became clear every division in the Gotei had received orders to run invasion drills, and their specific orders sent them on constant head-on collisions with the other divisions. With the streets filled with chaos there was no chance anyone was going to manage to intercept them.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Toshiro left off on a long line of swearing with a demand to know what the hell was going on. He had gotten to the gate in time to stop only the final company from exiting the division.

The poor officer who was leading the company was so confused and frightened by his captain's behavior he couldn't seem to find his voice.

"You'd better not let your mother hear you talking like that," Gin said smoothly.

Toshiro spun around. "You!" he shouted at Gin. "You did this? Why the hell are you issuing orders to my division?!?!"

"It's not just your division," Gin answered, smiling. "There are shinigami from every division--well, not the Fourth; I thought they had enough to do cleaning up the smoke bombs--but every other division is running into each other all over Seireitei. It's absolute chaos. You should come see."

He vanished then, heading toward the towers at the center of the city.

Toshiro turned back to his men. "Don't go anywhere!" he ordered. "And call back everyone else!" Then he chased after his father.

He found Gin perched on one of the lower towers, grinning as he watched the little black companies of shinigami running this way and that along the roads far below. He especially liked the bits where a couple companies had run into each other. They seemed to be entirely incapable of sorting themselves out. They stayed in little knots of chaos, no doubt blocking traffic and upsetting the locals.

"Why?" Toshiro demanded as he came to a stop beside Gin. "Are you trying to force Yamamoto to lock you up?"

"Well, there are three reasons, actually," Gin answered. "One is that Urahara-san is not in the mood to face hours of meetings with the Gotei after we let his girlfriend be locked up and beaten half to death, but Yamaji never seems to understand these sorts of things. The second is that I've been wanting, for years, to point out how stupid it was for each captain to create their own crisis response plan without consulting each other. Every division is running an official plan; I just picked out the ones that get in each other's way. If you notice, the Eighth and the Thirteenth don't actually overlap. No doubt Kyoraku and Ukitake worked out their plans years ago with that in mind, but every other division is doing its own thing, and I don't doubt they'll all be fighting with the Eleventh by the end of the day."

"Fine," Toshiro admitted grudgingly. He had a point. "But you could have just told us."

"But then I would have missed out on my third reason!" Gin protested.

"And that is?"

"Isn't it hilarious?"

"How is it you've never been murdered?" Toshiro growled.

"Oh, people have tried, don't doubt that. They have definitely tried--well, best go fetch Kin-chan. Miyako will tell your mother if I leave him there all day."

He vanished before Toshiro could ask why his little brother was at the Shiba Estate, and to be honest he wasn't sure he wanted to know.


	20. Chapter 20

The Captains Meeting had to wait until the evening. It took that long to calm the chaos in the city. It didn't help that Kenpachi didn't bother to let his men know the orders were false but just waited for them to get bored and wander on home. There were probably still a few dozen roaming about looking for trouble. They had only been sent out as part of a drill so it was to be hoped they wouldn't actually hurt anyone.

Gin, seeing as the whole thing was more or less his fault, arrived only five minutes late rather than his usual ten to fifteen. He smiled pleasantly at the other captains as he crossed the hall and wished them a good evening.

Byakuya did not even bother to glance in his direction but continued to tell Yamamoto how completely unacceptable the situation was. "We have not even completed repairs to the lesser houses, and now we have lost an entire day's progress due to a prank. It is completely unacceptable for a captain--a captain!--to behave in such a shameful and irresponsible manner. We cannot--"

"Should I come back later?" Gin asked. "I have over a week's worth of paperwork sitting on my desk, and if Captain Kuchiki's decided to make a speech on honor I should have at least an hour before I'll be needed."

Byakuya turned narrowed eyes on Gin. "I am sorely tempted to permanently remove your stench from the Gotei."

"My goodness, and here I thought we were supposed to be allies," Gin said with obvious false sincerity. "I am terribly sorry if my demonstration of one of the Gotei's weaknesses upset you, but I was only trying to help. It would be awful if we didn't have our emergency responses a little more organized by the time we have to deal with Aizen."

"That was a demonstration?" Yamamoto demanded.

"Oh, yes," Gin answered. "Didn't you see what a mess it was? Imagine if it hadn't been a drill. I doubt anyone would even have noticed their enemies. No one noticed Urahara-san, and I thought he was still officially banished. Shouldn't someone have tried to arrest him?"

"Urahara was here?' Yamamoto demanded, this time turning to Kurotsuchi.

"Yes," the scientist answered with a sigh. "Unfortunately I was in the middle of a very tricky operation, and by the time my men informed me that Urahara Kisuke had been spotted on the cameras there were so many people on the streets they had lost him in the crowd. I reviewed the footage and eventually discovered he and Shihoin Yoruichi entered the Shiba Estate half an hour after Ichimaru's demonstration began.

"I sent Nemu to investigate the situation. Lady Miyako has always been unusually kind to Nemu for reasons I have yet to determine, and she was willing to tell Nemu what had happened. Urahara and Yoruichi appeared suddenly and requested the use of the Shiba Family Gate to return to the World of the Living. She claims she had no idea Urahara should have been retained. She allowed him, Yoruichi, and all of the Ryoka to leave through the Shiba Gate."

"Well, that's that then," Kyoraku said. "Seems Kisuke doesn't trust us. Not really surprising, is it? Didn't expect he'd come for Yoruichi, must really have been worried about her. You don't suppose he'd heard she looked like she'd gone through a Gotei inquisition?"

He turned his sharp eyes on Gin, who immediately protested. "I didn't tell him! I don't suppose anyone else has noticed, but information is spreading awfully quickly these days. Everyone in my division is giving me nasty looks, which isn't that unusual, but Kira says they know I sent Lieutenant Suzuki to his death. I did think the information I shared with my fellow captains was supposed to remain secret. I can't say that I mind terribly, but it does point to a leak."

"Shuhei-kun is having similar problems with the Ninth. His entire division is suspicious of him since learning he was questioned about Yoruichi's disappearance and the murder of a Ninth Division member out in Rukongai," Kyoraku said. "I'm afraid my men have heard too. They keep giving Nanao-chan pitying looks--not a good idea that, by the way. She can give a tongue-lashing that'll leave a brave man crying."

"Do they also know Lieutenants Hinamori and Kira were questioned after both incidents?" Yamamoto asked.

"Seem to know there was a difference which points to inside information," Kyoraku answered. "Like the content of Gin-kun's interviews; we've restricted access, but it's still getting out. I can't say if it's just someone who likes to talk or if it's part of a plot, but I think we've got a serious problem."

"The information is not only being disseminated within the Gotei," Byakuya said, looking annoyed that he had information to share. "Several family members of the murdered Central 46 came to me demanding justice for those who had died. They wanted Ichimaru's blood, and they had more knowledge of his crimes than they should have had. There have, of course, been rumors, but their knowledge was more specific."

"And now the Great Houses are involved," Yamamoto said. He sighed sadly. "It appears Gin-kun was correct. Aizen intends to tear us apart from the inside. We cannot allow him to succeed. We must hold together, and we must make it clear to every member of the Gotei that we are one. Starting tomorrow we will begin joint exercises. Ichimaru has pointed out a flaw in our defenses that must be remedied immediately. A comprehensive plan will be devised, and you will all receive orders in the morning. I expect you to be ready. Good night."

The general turned to Gin before he had a chance to dash and added, "Ichimaru, if you interfere again with the operations of any division outside your own we will be forced to rethink the freedom you and your family currently enjoy."

Gin forced a huge, fox-like grin to his face. "Of course, sir. I wouldn't think of it."

Since he hadn't managed to escape, Gin chose to dawdle instead, saying various irrelevancies to various captains. As he came to Kyoraku it occurred to him Captain Ukitake had still not made a meeting. "How is Captain Ukitake?" he asked, politely.

Kyoraku gave him a sharp look. "You needn't pretend you care, Gin-kun," he answered, before turning to follow the General back into the building.

Gin was quite surprised. He'd always gotten along fairly well with both the irresponsible captain of the Eighth and his sickly friend. They never took his nonsense too seriously, which really was the best way to take it and were always willing to chat when he was looking for a way to waste time. He had almost, maybe, a little bit, considered them friends. Kyoraku's statement was like a slap in the face.

"He slept most of last week, but he's been awake and was able to eat today," Toshiro said stepping up beside Gin. "Kaien told me they expect him to be able to get back to work by the end of the week."

"Oh?" Gin said, a little dully. "Then that's good."

"Do you care?" Toshiro asked.

GIn frowned. Did he care? That was a very good question. What did Ichimaru Gin, no longer Aizen's slave, feel about the people around him? "I don't know," he said, finally.

Toshiro sighed. Then he said, "C'mon, you know Mom's not going to hold dinner."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Kira was nearly asleep when he heard a soft tapping on the window near his head. He sat up quickly and pushed back the curtain. It took him a second to recognize Hinamori staring back at him through the glass.

He hopped to his feet and unlatched the window, shoving it open as quickly as he could.

She climbed through without waiting for an invitation and shocked Kira thoroughly by throwing her arms around him and sobbing into his chest.

It took Kira a few seconds to get his brain to turn back on. First of all, he was grateful that his room was separated from the other officers by a small study/sitting room, the great luxury of the Third Division Lieutenant's Quarters, so it was unlikely anyone else could hear her crying. Then he decided maybe he should hug her back, and he did. She seemed very small and very warm despite how she was shaking.

It took him awhile but eventually he thought to ask her what was wrong.

"I don't know what to do!" she moaned. "I don't know what to do!"

"What happened?" Kira asked. It was hard not to be distracted by the fact that he could feel the dampness of her tears and the heat of her breath through the thin cotton of his summer kimono. In fact he could feel every single curve she pressed into him.

Kira took hold of her shoulders and stepped back, putting a few necessary inches between them. He could see her face now, the red and puffy eyes, the tear stained cheeks, and trembling lower lip. "Momo," he said gently. It seemed fair to call her by her first name; she was in his room. "Tell me what happened."

"I—I went to help Renji," she told him miserably. "To look after Rukia while Captain Kuchiki was at the meeting—oh, Kira! She's not ok! She's—she's—Renji had to hold her to keep her from hurting herself, and she screamed and screamed!" Hinamori pressed her hands to her ears like she could still hear Rukia screaming.

Kira nodded. "I saw her before Orihime healed her," he told her. "Aizen tortured her. He broke her completely."

"No!" Hinamori gasped stepping back out of his reach and shaking her head. "No! You're wrong. You have to be wrong."

"The Arrancar told Rangiku-san and Ise-san, Rukia was a present from Aizen—for my captain."

Hinamori continued to shake her head. "That's not right. It was lying. It had to be."

"How could it have been lying?" Kira asked, speaking very slowly and gently. He was beginning to realize Hinamori had not really accepted that Aizen was a traitor to Soul Society. She had stopped arguing with everyone but she had never really believed them. "Everyone saw Aizen take Rukia. I saw him take her. How could the Arrancar have returned her, and why would it return her to Captain Ichimaru unless Aizen told it to?"

The tears were pouring down her face now. "But Captain Aizen couldn't hurt Rukia like that! I know he couldn't! Captain Aizen is good and kind and--" she broke down, sobbing once more.

Kira had never felt so helpless. The girl he loved was bawling her heart out over a monster. There was absolutely nothing he could tell her that would make it any better. For Hinamori this was a nightmare, but she would never be waking up. Her entire universe had been destroyed.

Very carefully, he wrapped his arms around her, and gently pulled her close. He felt like she might shatter at any moment, and he was trying to hold her together, but she was so fragile if he did one wrong thing he might break her.


	21. Chapter 21

Ten days after Aizen's escape:

The open window obviously had to be investigated. Counter to common belief Gin was often up and about early in the morning. He liked to check on things before the morning shift, just to be sure everything was running smoothly, before heading back home for the daily chaos of morning with Rangiku and the kids. But this morning, as he was crossing the lawn alongside the barracks, soaking his tabi in the morning dew, he noticed Kira's window was open.

Kira's window was never open. Gin had told him more than once that the night air was good for him, and the cool breeze was all that made summer nights endurable. Kira countered that the night air was full of mosquitoes and a thousand mosquito bites was completely unendurable. Gin granted the point. The Captain's Residence had some sort of experimental barrier from Kurotsuchi that kept bugs out--it also murdered the bugs Kin-chan tried to bring inside, so that was an unexpected bonus.

But Kira had no such barrier so what was he doing with an open window? Clearly, Gin had to find out.

Kira's eyes snapped open as Gin leaned in through the open window, and the blood drained from his face as a huge grin spread across his captain's lips.

It was such a beautiful picture. A terrified and frozen Kira with Lieutenant Hinamori Momo asleep beside him in his bed. The girl's arms were wrapped around him so that Gin thought it would probably be quite the challenge to extricate himself without waking her. It was going to be so much fun to tell Ran what he had found.

Kira finally managed to open his mouth, probably to say something in his own defense, but Gin raised a finger to his lips. Then he motioned Kira to follow him and stepped away from the window.

He was right. It took Kira several minutes to join him on the lawn, and predictably, Kira started right out, "It isn't what it looked like, sir!"

"Well, it looked like little Momo-chan decided to cry her heart out and fell asleep on your bed," Gin said, still wearing that wicked grin. "What was it actually?"

Kira stared at him, unable to gather his wits enough to answer.

"I suppose I'm expected to tell you I'm very disappointed in you, and I am. If you are going to get a woman into your bed you ought to do something about it. You are a man, aren't you? You must realize women aren't going to climb in your window every night. You must take full advantage of these opportunities when they--"

"Sir, I would never take advantage of any woman no matter how rare the opportunity might be," Kira interrupted. His voice was hard and full of disapproval.

Gin shook his head. "Be a gentleman if you'd like, but try not to be too stupid. I wouldn't be surprised if she's still tangled up in Aizen's little games. Don't let her pull you in, too. Let her break your heart if you have to, but don't let her ruin your life. No girl's worth that."

"Except Rangiku-san?" Kira answered.

Kira sounded very sure he'd found a flaw in Gin's argument, but the enormous grin returned to Gin's face. "Nope. You've got it backwards, Kira. Rangiku gave me my life. I was the one who tried to destroy it, and I still would, for her. What has Lieutenant Hinamori given you?"

"She doesn't need to give me anything," Kira protested.

"Not even happiness?" Gin sighed. "I like you Kira, and I really appreciate how low you keep your expectations. It's nice to have someone I can't disappoint, but sometimes I think you really need to think about yourself. Try to be a little bit selfish. I already walk all over you, you don't need to let everyone else do so, too."

"I see, sir," Kira said.

"No you don't," Gin said. "Not at all because that's the sort of person you are. Just know, when Hinamori breaks your heart I'm not going to be the slightest bit sympathetic so you'd better go crying to Ran and leave me out of it."

"It's really not something you have to worry about, sir. We are friends, and we always have been. Nothing's changed."

"Sure, sure," Gin agreed. "Now I'd best grab some breakfast for Ran and the boys, and you should probably send Hinamori on home before the entire division's awake. Tell her I'm sorry I missed her."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was the first time Kurotsuchi Mayuri had stepped foot on the Kuchiki estate. He did not do things like Cherry Blossom Viewings, and this was the first time he had been personally invited. He was led through the maze-like house, though to call it a house was akin to calling Everest a hill. It was the home of one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in Soul Society for thousands of years of history, and it had been constructed with that firmly in mind.

Kurotsuchi was not particularly impressed. The rooms were impractical, the passages confusing, and the servants were slow. It was as if no one had ever once in the family's long history considered efficiency. What nonsense!

When the servant finally brought him and Nemu--the girl had looked around curiously the entire time, silly thing, and she had been here before--to the master of the house, he walked right in without bothering with any of that nonsense about polite greetings and instead got right to the point. "You are interested in my plan?" he demanded.

Nemu was looking down at Kuchiki sitting on the floor beside his sleeping sister's futon with the strangest expression on her face. Kurotsuchi suspected it was pity, and he did not approve. Her range of emotions had extended far beyond his original intentions. She seemed to be constantly discovering new ones, and they were generally useless.

Byakuya raised his head slowly. "I am," he said coolly.

"You understand it is my intention to capture an Arrancar?" Kurotsuchi said. "The purpose is to collect one for study so we will be able to better understand its strengths and weaknesses. There is no purpose in going if your only desire is to slaughter them."

"I will see that your test subject is collected. What I do after that is not any business of yours," Byakuya answered.

Kurotsuchi frowned, but on thinking it over decided that was probably for the best. As long as he got his test subject he did not care what happened to the other captain. "Will you be bringing your lieutenant?"

"Of course not. He's an idiot."

Kurotsuchi nodded, accepting the truth of that statement. "I will bring Nemu, but if these things are as strong as they are reported to be I think it would be wise to bring additional assistance."

"I am sure the Eleventh would be willing to provide muscle," Kuchiki said.

"Yes," Kurotsuchi agreed. "But what do you think about Ichimaru Gin? I like the idea of going in with inside knowledge. He might be able to bring us directly to a perfect specimen."

"Or directly to a trap," Kuchiki said. "Trusting Ichimaru is as wise as trusting the fox he chooses to resemble. I would not follow him through a public park, much less the world of hollows."

"Then you do not believe the woman is of value to him?"

Kuchiki frowned at that. "She may be, but as long as the Gotei does not threaten her life, I doubt it's enough to guarantee his good behavior, and that we cannot do as long as her son is one of our captains."

Kurotsuchi scoffed at such sentiment, as well as sentiment in general. "I am sure I can devise some sort of device to control his behavior if you think it is necessary. Something that will cause excruciating pain if he steps out of line and death if he does not straighten up."

Kuchiki regarded the other captain coldly for a moment. "Very well," he said, finally. "Speak to the old man about it, and if he is satisfied with your precautions I will accept it."

Kurotsuchi smiled. "Excellent--come Nemu, we must go visit the general."


	22. Chapter 22

"Auntie Miya-chan!" Kinta shouted, throwing down his shovel and splashing through the moat to greet their visitor.

Rangiku cringed even as Yukiko started wailing; thus ended another nap. She rolled off the couch, where she had just laid down after folding what seemed like half a million diapers, and crawled the two feet to the baby's small futon.

"Why?" she asked miserably. "Why can't you ever sleep?"

"Mommy! Auntie Miya-chan's here!" Kinta announced at the top of his voice as he drug Miyako across the yard.

"Right," Rangiku sighed. "That's why."

She picked up the baby and sat back, actually looking at Miyako for the first time. Miyako was carrying a pot wrapped in cloth, bringing a meal like she always did when she visited, but her longtime friend was also wearing a shihakusho and had her zanpakuto tied at her waist.

Rangiku blinked and opened and shut her mouth a few times. It seemed like she should make a joke or some sort of clever comment, but in the end she gave up. She could think of absolutely no reason for Miyako to be wearing a shinigami's uniform again after so many years. "I've got nothing," she admitted.

Miyako smiled, but her smile was strained. "I wanted to go unnoticed. Things have been a little strange with the family."

Rangiku frowned. "What do you mean?"

Miyako looked down at the mud-coated boy clinging to her clothes and explaining his construction project at high speed. "Tell you what, Kin-chan. I brought curry for lunch so why don't you go wash up and change?" she suggested.

"Ok!" Kinta agreed, cheerfully, and took off. He left a trail of muddy footprints on the way to the bathroom, but Rangiku couldn't make herself care. He was getting cleaned up on his own, and that was more than enough for her.

She tied on the baby sling for Yuki and followed Miyako into the kitchen.

"So, are you going to tell me what's up?" Rangiku asked as she watched her friend bustle around her kitchen. Honestly, Miyako probably knew the contents better than she did.

She watched Miyako light the stove and measure out water for rice and start it cooking before she answered.

"It's complicated. Everything always is with the family. There are always some people who are on our side and others who spend all their time being difficult, and even the ones who are on our side are always telling us what to do," Miyako said as she set out some vegetables Rangiku hadn't realized she owned. "And Kaien lets them. He's always let them have too much say. It's why we haven't had children; I know I've been making excuses for years, but the truth is I'm not going to give birth to a child so someone else can raise it--but Kaien, he--he's really not meant for a position like this. He doesn't know how to handle them and all the pushing and pulling--he's not a politician, and he's no Byakuya. He can't intimidate them into leaving us alone. But he has been trying to figure out how to handle things, and it has been getting better."

She started cutting green onions, slicing fine circles at high speed. "Or it was, but now they're after Gin. Kaien told them he wouldn't have anything to do with it, absolutely and completely refused, and told them if they tried anything he'd stop them. We owe Gin so much--you've been told, haven't you, how he saved me?"

She suddenly raised her head to look Rangiku in the eye. "They did tell you, didn't they?"

Rangiku nodded. "Shiro-chan did. He thought it was important that I know."

"Did he tell you Gin warned Kaien about Aizen? When he asked what had happened, Gin told him; he told him everything, even about the illusions. Kaien feels so guilty for not trusting him then. He feels like everything might have been better if he hadn't wasted so much time doubting and trying to verify everything. But even so it did help; it made all the difference, and Kaien feels he owes Gin a great deal, and he can't do what the family wants. He can't call Gin a traitor and a murderer and demand his blood; even though he knows it wouldn't make a difference because Yamamoto's already made up his mind, he won't do it."

Rangiku could feel her eyes filling with tears. She hated the baby hormones so much. All she seemed to be doing these days was crying. "Kaien is defending Gin," she said. Gin had someone standing up for him, and not just because they wanted to use him. Kaien actually felt like he owed Gin because he had helped them. There were a few people in the world besides her who did not think he was a monster.

"He is," Miyako agreed as she went back to her chopping. "And he's going to no matter what, but last night there was a family meeting again--they keep meeting and meeting. Something's really wrong. Kaien thinks someone's being fed information by one of Aizen's men. They knew Isshin's alive in the World of the Living, and one of the men, he wants Kaien's position, and he accused Kaien of working with Gin to get rid of Isshin, like some sort of evil conspiracy, and people listened." She shoved the vegetables into a pot of water and tossed in a scoop of miso distractedly.

"There've always been some unpleasant people in the family who made me nervous, but before now it's always felt like most of the family were with us, and we could depend on them, but I don't know. I don't feel safe." She let out a hollow laugh, and her hand went to the zanpakuto at her waist. "How stupid is that? I was a third seat, and Kaien's a lieutenant. He fought a captain and survived. They can't hurt us, but I still--I don't like it. Kaien wanted to take a few elders to see Isshin, to prove he hadn't had anything to do with him disappearing, but General Yamamoto's forbidden all trips through the Senkaimon since Urahara was able to come and go so easily. Only Gotei traffic with prior permission is now permitted to cross--so we can't prove anything."

"But there can't be many people who really believe Kaien got rid of Captain Isshin," Rangiku said. "He never wanted to be Head of the House; everyone know that."

"You would not believe the rumors that are spreading in the Four Houses. It's not only the Shiba family. Kaien's Great-aunt Etsuko came to me this morning; she's worried about us. She's horribly pushy but she's always been mostly on our side, and she told me she has been speaking to members of the Kuchiki family. They told her the same thing she's hearing in our family. People think everything in the past century may be a power play by General Yamamoto. They think he's reordering the Gotei, to reduce the power of the nobility and increase his control over all of Soul Society."

"That's insane!" Rangiku burst out.

"What is, Mommy?" Kinta asked, curiously, from the doorway, where he stood naked and dripping on the floor.

"Clothes, Kin-chan," Rangiku said with a sigh.

"Yes, Mommy," he agreed.

"But dry off first!" she called after him. Then she turned back to Miyako. "How can anyone think anything that's happened had anything to do with Yamamoto?"

"The first thing they like to point to is that he replaced two strong and independent Heads of House, Isshin and Yoruichi, with Soifon and Kaien, both of whom are willing to follow his lead in pretty much everything, and then when Yoruichi reappeared she was attacked, and if the Arrancar hadn't broken Tosen out of prison Yoruichi would still be his prisoner--they're pretty sure he had ordered her capture and torture--possibly for information on Urahara or for Shihoin family secrets, maybe both, they're not really in agreement on that. But there's a lot more. They'll go through everyone who's vanished or died and who they've been replaced with and show how it strengthened Yamamoto. It's like any other conspiracy theory, completely convoluted and impossible to really prove or disprove because it's really mostly about what people want to believe. I wish we could just ignore it, but there are a few powerful people who may try to use it to get rid of Kaien."

"But what can they really do? Miyako, you're right. You're both so strong. They can't possibly threaten you, not really," Rangiku said. "They'll just make a fuss for a while, but when everything's been worked out and we've captured Aizen and everything becomes public, everyone'll see they were wrong and it'll be over, won't it?"

"They could tear the entire family apart in the meantime, and if the noble families stop supporting Yamamoto it could tear the Gotei apart. How well will we be able to fight Aizen if the nobility leaves the Gotei? That's seventy percent of our forces. Whoever's behind the rumors has to be stopped, not just for Kaien or the Shiba family, but for all of Soul Society."

"Is the curry ready?" Kinta demanded, appearing suddenly beside Miyako.

"Absolutely," she agreed. "Are you going to help me serve it?"

"Yep!" he agreed. "I'll get the dishes for you, Auntie Miya-chan."

"Thank you, Kin-chan," Miyako answered, managing not to flinch when he climbed on the counter to reach the bowls. Children on counters was a normal part of the Ichimaru household. She did her best not to judge.

"Do you think, Rangiku," she asked as Kinta was counting out dishes. "That you could speak to Gin about looking into it? He's done so much for us already, but I can't think who else to ask. And he has a talent for this sort of thing."

"Not a problem," Rangiku said. "I'm sure he'd be happy to help."

"Do you want miso soup, Mommy?" Kinta asked.

Miyako spun around just in time to stop him from leaning over the stove from the counter to serve bowls of hot soup. Coordinated he might be, but hot soup on the stove was strictly a grown-up job.


	23. Chapter 23

It really was a lovely garden in the moonlight. The water flowing over a miniature waterfall and spilling into a still pond shimmered and sparkled, and the pale flowers on the overhanging tree glowed faintly with reflected light. Fireflies flickered brighter sparks of light and the air was filled with the scent of night-blooming jasmine.

Gin sighed as he dropped down from the overhanging roof to land silently onto the porch. It did seem like the nobility got the best of everything, but then their wives probably didn't allow their small children to attack their gardens with shovels; he really shouldn't complain.

He turned to the open room that belonged to the exquisite view. It was, of course, elegantly proportioned, small, like the garden, but with no expense spared in the art and fixtures. There was a tray with an empty bottle of high-end sake and a half-finished meal. The couple who it had been brought for had been distracted by other activities if the rumpled bedding and their own current state of disrobement was any indicator.

They were both asleep, the girl curled up on her side on the edge of the futon, the man on his back, snoring loudly.

Gin frowned. That really was spoiling the melodic sound of the waterfall.

He sighed, wondering how he was going to wake them without getting screamed at. He didn't particularly want to scare the girl in the first place--she hadn't done anything; the man's wife probably wouldn't agree, but Gin was hardly the morality police--he really would have preferred to do this when no one else was around, but it seemed like something that needed to be done immediately--but he really hated being screamed at.

He finally decided to wake her first and crossed the floor to her side. He shook her gently by the shoulder and whispered her name, "An-chan, An-chan."

After a few seconds the girl blinked blearily. Gin knew the minute she realized he was there because she froze like a mouse caught in a cat's gaze.

He grinned hugely and raised a finger to his lips. "Shhh."

She stared back at him.

He let go of her shoulder and pointed to the door.

She continued to stare.

Gin sighed. He forgot, sometimes, how intimidating he could be, especially to those outside the Gotei. A captain's power was considered god-like, and if they happened to know about him in particular that added a whole other layer of fear, based on only partially true rumors and his infamous smile.

"Go," he whispered, pointing to the door again.

She let out a whimper and leapt to her feet, running to the door as quickly as she could. It didn't matter where she went. There was only one elderly serving woman in the house. Shiba Hidemitsu had not even brought any bodyguards with him because this particular mistress was a Shihoin and if anyone found out he was seeing her the inter house scandal would be quite messy.

One moment he was watching the girl run for the door and the next Shiso was in his hand and the blade, pointed behind him, was within an inch of Hidemitsu's throat. The man had awoken and was really, really foolishly reaching for his sword.

Gin swiftly turned and stood, and as he did Shinso's blade adjusted length to remain at Hidemitsu's throat. "Oh, you're awake," he said, pleasantly, smiling his most friendly and off-putting smile.

"You have no right--"

"Well, I would have made an appointment, but you were all booked, and to be honest with you I have the worst time keeping appointments. I'm much better with this sort of thing, just dropping by for a chat, you know," he answered with a pleasant smile he knew for a fact was terror inducing. "Here's the thing, Shiba-dono or is it only Shiba-sama--that's another thing I have a terrible time keeping up with, titles, but it doesn't really matter, does it, Hidemitsu-kun?"

The man barely glanced up from the steel blade at his throat. "No, Captain, I don't think it does."

"Here's the thing," Gin said, and he squatted down next to Hidemitsu so he could look him in the eye, and Shinso shrank to the length of a dagger. A dagger to the neck was such a nice, intimate way to kill someone; it was almost a pity it wouldn't be necessary. "You've been giving Shiba--Kaien a hard time, which is your right; I have absolutely no argument with that. He really needs to learn how to handle the lot of you, though I think you'd be wiser to be grateful you don't have your very own Byakuya to make all your lives miserable, but, like I said, that's really your own business. The bit I care about is all the top secret information you fellows have been getting and who's been pushing the idea of a Yamamoto conspiracy in the noble families. You're high enough up the ladder you must have some idea where it's coming from. Give me a name and it had better be the right one or we will be doing this again tomorrow night, and you can let me know what it feels like to be stalked by an unstable captain who's already gotten away with somewhere approaching a hundred murders."

Hidemitsu stared back at him. Gin had watched the man's fear grow the longer he spoke. He was trembling now so much that he was going to have to watch out or he was going to accidentally cut his own throat. There was no way he was in any state to lie, but it was also obvious he was afraid to tell what he knew.

"Ogawara--Ogawara Eiji, the Seventh Seat of the Ninth," he finally spat out. "He is the brother of my cousin's wife. He has been giving us inside information on the Gotei for years. He told me all about your testimony."

Gin frowned. "He's dead." Of course he was. Aizen wasn't the sort to leave loose ends. There would be no way to trace anything back to him.

"Is he?" Hidemitsu did his best to sound surprised but his best wasn't very good.

"Not very nice to put the blame on a dead man," Gin said.

"I swear on my father's grave he was my source," Hidemitsu answered. His voice trembled but Gin was pretty sure he was telling the truth. How disappointing.

"And your new source?" Gin asked.

"I don't have one, I swear."

Gin frowned. What a waste of time. "And the Yamamoto conspiracy, whose bright idea was that?"

"I don't know. The Kuchikis, someone high up in the Kuchikis. They're unhappy with the way Rukia was treated. They think someone should have realized Central 46 was under Aizen's control. They have letters that show Byakuya was trying to get her released, that he threatened to do something if Yamamoto did not intervene when Central 46 didn't respond. Some of the Kuchikis think Yamamoto was baiting Byakuya, and he intended to force Byakuya to intervene and kill him when he did--they say you are Yamamoto's errand boy. You've been working for him the whole time. It was him, not Aizen, you were really serving when you murdered all those people, and Aizen is the real smokescreen."

Gin tilted his head to one side, considering the man's words. "You more than half believe that, don't you?" he asked finally.

"Everything has worked out very well for the General."

Gin almost laughed. "We'll see about that." He stood abruptly, but then he paused. A strange, almost floral incense was floating into the room.

"That's an odd smell, isn't it?" Or that's what he tried to say. His mouth didn't seem to want to cooperate. He turned his head slowly to see the girl in the open doorway with an incense burner in her hands and a scarf around her nose and mouth. That wasn't good.

He only had time to be impressed that she'd managed to find something he wasn't immune to before he lost consciousness.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was only because Gin recognized Soifon's voice that he didn't immediately free himself from the ridiculously flimsy bits of cord someone had tied around his wrists. He really had to wonder if they had any idea what they were dealing with. If you managed to knock a captain unconscious you really should slit his throat immediately and count yourself lucky. He supposed calling Soifon wasn't too terrible a second choice though.

"It was lucky you had that potion," she was saying.

"Yes, I was given it for protection," a familiar girl's voice answered. That was An-chan. "I never thought I would have to use it on a captain."

A small foot slammed solidly into his shoulder. "I can tell you're waking up, Ichimaru," Soifon said. "You got anything to say before I end you?"

He snapped the cords, and, ignoring the girl's fearful gasp, sat slowly. He was still feeling a little light-headed and queasy--what the hell was that stuff? And he looked around in some confusion.

He was in the same room as before, but now it was well-lit. Hidemitsu was gone along with any sign he had ever been there, and in his place was Soifon and a good portion of her punishment squad.

Gin looked past the reiatsu radiating captain to the girl cowering in her shadow. She looked young and silly and helpless. He had certainly underestimated her. "Well done, An-chan," he told her. "Where did you get that incense? You should sell it to Kurotsuchi and make yourself a small fortune. I'd buy it myself, but I'm always broke. I blame it on Ran, but--"

"Have you no shame?" Soifon interrupted, her voice was filled with tightly controlled rage. "You broke into this woman's home and attacked her--"

"What's that?" Gin said, raising his head sharply.

"I will see you pay this time, Ichimaru. The Gotei may have forgiven your previous crimes, but you will not get away with attacking a woman of my family--"

"That's the silliest thing I've heard all night. I don't attack people! Well, I do, but only for good reason, and I don't attack women. What a horrible thing to suggest! Really, An-chan, I am quite insulted. And after I was considerate enough to let you leave without even a threat. Seems like I'm the only one with manners around here."

"Manners!" The girl shrieked. "You were going to kill--me." She stumbled over the last bit, but Soifon didn't seem to care; her finger with its deadly claw twitched with definite intent.

"If I was going to kill someone, that someone would be dead," Gin tried to explain. His eyes were focused on Soifon's zanpakuto which was uncomfortably close. He had long since decided that if he ever wanted to take on the captain of the Second it would be from a nice, comfortable distance, and if she made the slightest move in his direction he was ready to run faster than he'd ever run before. "I only came for a little chat with someone, and as that someone is no longer here I'd be more than happy to leave--c'mon, Soifon, I'm twisted, evil scum, but I'm not that particular variety of twisted, evil scum."

Soifon looked back at the younger woman. "Was he after you or someone else?"

An-chan's head dropped but she didn't answer.

"Maybe I ought to tell Captain Soifon our mutual friend's name so she can find out what really happened," Gin suggested.

"It wasn't me," the girl said quickly. "He didn't threaten me."

Soifon stepped forward. "I don't care who you were after, Ichimaru," she said darkly. "You broke into a Shihoin home and terrified a member of the Shihoin family. I don't care if you weren't trying to scare her. You have no right to be here, and if you ever set one foot on Shihoin property uninvited ever again I will kill you."

"Understood," Gin said, and he got to his feet. "Do you mind if I go now? Ran's going to be annoyed as it is that I'm getting back so late."

"I cannot begin to imagine what that woman sees in you," Soifon said.

"Me neither," Gin agreed with a shrug. "But I have given up arguing." Then he was gone.


	24. Chapter 24

Eleven days after Aizen's escape:

Kira had an excellent, work-related reason to visit the Fifth; he really did, but Gin had laughed at him the moment he heard it and told him to take the morning off. Kira wanted to argue that he really did have work, but time off was time off. Now all he needed to do was come up with a reason to give Hinamori for his visit.

He took the walk to the Fifth to think something up. It wasn't the nice, pleasant walk it usually was. The people along the street were tense. The vendors did not push their wares so loudly, and there were far fewer shoppers than usual. Everyone, shinigami and civilians alike, grew quiet as he passed and watched him go by.

He was used to a little extra attention as a lieutenant. He was higher up the food chain than most ever aspired to, but this was different. He was certain he could feel fear in the air.

The Fifth was worse. There was a definite air of mourning. Every shinigami in the division had once been proud to proclaim they were part of the Fifth, handpicked from the Academy by Captain Aizen himself. They were the most promising youths; the division contained few older members, only officers ever stayed long. The others tended to trade out once they were trained to specialties. In other divisions they would learn to perfect their skills, but here was where the best started.

Now, they all seemed lost. They went about their daily routines without any of their previous enthusiasm. Most had loved their captain, a few had been even as dedicated as Hinamori. None of them seemed sure what to do now that their direction had been lost.

The atmosphere reminded Kira of how lucky he was. The Third had gotten their captain back. Sure they all knew he had killed for Aizen, but they'd all been pretty sure he was some sort of psychopath before then. Knowing he'd been working against Aizen actually made him look a little better, even with all the killing. They hadn't lost anything. They had even gained a certain amount of confidence; they now knew that their captain had not been acting on thoughtless whims but had been working and continued to work toward a single goal, the destruction of Aizen Sosuke.

And Kira was now going to check on a girl who would happily die for that same Aizen Sosuke. He sighed as he knocked on the office door.

It was opened immediately by the division Third Seat, who bowed his head slightly before allowing Kira to enter and stepped out, closing the door behind him.

Kira looked around the room nervously. Hinamori was alone, working at her desk, surrounded by stacks of paper.

She finished whatever she was writing before she raised her head. "Good morning, Kira," she said, a small, embarrassed smile turning up her lips.

Kira wondered how much more embarrassed she would be if she knew his captain had seen her in his bed. She probably wouldn't even be able to speak to him after that. Not that he was much better; he could feel his own cheeks heating up as he struggled to force words out. "Good—good morning," he repeated, painfully aware of how awkward he sounded. "Are you—how are you doing—I mean—are you—you know, keeping up with everything ok? Do you need any help or anything?"

"I'm fine," she said, softly, her eyes dropping to her desk. "You have your own work to do. You don't have to come check on me."

"I didn't," he said quickly. "I just—Captain Ichimaru gave me the morning off so I thought I'd--I'm going to go check on--on Renji--and Rukia. Wanna come?"

Hinamori turned a shade paler at his suggestion, but after a moment she nodded. "Captain Kuchiki and Renji have been taking turns looking after her so we'll need to find out who's at the Sixth this morning."

"I already checked," Kira answered. "There's another meeting this morning so Renji will be with Rukia--are you sure you want to go? You don't have to if it's going to bother you. I mean you have to be really busy with--everything."

She looked down at the stack of paperwork, and Kira could see her wavering. "Renji's our friend. We have to support him any way we can," she said finally.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was an awkward and uncomfortable walk. Hinamori knew Kira was worried about her. She knew he wanted to ask her if she'd come to terms with her captain's betrayal, but she couldn't honestly answer him. She was so terribly confused. Kira's explanation of everything that had happened did make sense, if she could believe that Captain Aizen was a monster who would torture a girl just to send a message and that Captain Ichimaru Gin was some sort of hero who'd risked his life trying to stop Captain Aizen. Only she knew both Captain Aizen and Captain Ichimaru, and it was easy to see who was evil.

On the other hand, Third Seat Nakajima had sat down with her and explained to her each and every fact they knew about the conspiracy Captain Aizen was trying to uncover. It seemed so obvious when he explained it that something dark had infected the Gotei. Even the fact that Captain Aizen was working with an Arrancar could be explained. He had discovered the Gotei's experiments on hollows and had freed the Arrancar from Kurotsuchi's laboratory in return for assistance trying to end the experiments forever.

An Arrancar did not have to be evil. It was a hollow who had regained its human reason if not its heart. Nakajima had even told her he could arrange for her to meet Ulquiorra if she wanted. She could see for herself that all he wanted was to be freed from his cursed existence.

And the injuries Rukia had suffered? Probably inflicted by Captain Ichimaru himself. Captain Aizen had mistakenly believed that returning the girl to Ichimaru's home, with his children and his poor ignorant wife present, would protect her from any harm. He had never imagined Ichimaru would hurt her just to further the lie that Captain Aizen was a monster.

In the end, Hinamori didn't know what to think. Nothing made sense anymore. She couldn't take Kira's word for it that Ichimaru was not the monster he seemed to be, but could she really believe he had done so much to Rukia in so short a time? Maybe some sort of kido had broken her mind?

All she knew for sure was that Rukia and, to a lesser extent, Renji were innocent victims and they needed all the help and support she could give. That was why she had chosen to join Kira because maybe she couldn't figure out who else was doing the right thing, but she, herself, could choose to do what was right. Kindness toward a friend in need was completely unambiguous, and that was what she needed right now. She just needed to do the right thing.

So with Kira by her side she braved the Kuchiki Estate and faced off with the Kuchiki servants and was led to her friends, and it was all just as horrible as she imagined it would be. That was alright, though. Her misery was probably deserved. She distrusted her friends, her captain, and everyone around her because she didn't have the brains to see the truth. A person like her did not deserve happiness.

Even as they approached Renji, and she could see his brilliant red hair through the densely packed bamboo, she found herself wondering if she could really trust him. He had been in the Eleventh for years, and the Eleventh had switched sides so easily it was clear all they cared about was fighting. Right and wrong were immaterial to them--but Renji wasn't like that. She hated herself for even wondering. Renji was a good person, just like her and Kira; all of them were caught up in events beyond their control or even their understanding.

She smiled sadly when she saw them. Renji had taken Rukia out to a little tea house. The servant who led them there had explained that the household noise disturbed Rukia, so he had taken her to the quietest place on the grounds. It was a pretty little building, quaint and humble in the way that rich people do when they're playing at humility. It was a single room and the roof was thatched, but even the thatching was cleaner and tidier than a peasant's roof would ever be. Nothing else from the fine white rice paper in the shoji walls to the highly polished dark wood porch floor even attempted to imitate a more humble lifestyle.

Rukia and Renji sat side by side on the porch. Renji's entire attention was focused on the girl beside him, and Rukia, looking thinner and more fragile than she had even looked after weeks imprisoned, stared blankly out at the bamboo grove that surrounded the tiny tea house. Only her hand locked onto Renji's showed she had any awareness of her surroundings at all.

"I will leave you here," the servant said as they came to the clearing, and he bowed before retreating back down the narrow path.

Hinamori stood beside Kira, unsure if they should speak up or try to approach silently so as not to disturb Rukia. Two nights before the distant sound of men on the practice ground had set Rukia off. She thought speaking would probably be alright, but she wasn't sure.

Renji got to his feet, slowly, speaking to Rukia as he did. It still surprised Hinamori how gentle he could sound reassuring Rukia, promising he wasn't leaving her, promising she was never, ever going to be alone. It was so unlike the Renji she was used to who was always gruff and clumsy with his words, who could never communicate anything deep or meaningful. He'd never had the guts to tell Rukia he liked her, and now he was promising to be with her forever.

It wasn't like he had to be here either. He'd had to fight Captain Kuchiki to be allowed to help. The captain had intended to do everything alone, certain that he was the only person who could protect and care for his sister properly. Renji could be running the Sixth right now, but he had given up that once in a lifetime opportunity. He had convinced his captain that he had a right to be here for Rukia.

Renji crossed the raked sand to meet them, but he stood so that he could keep an eye on Rukia even while he spoke to them. "Hey," he said shortly.

"She looks like she's doing a lot better," Hinamori offered. It was true; when she'd left Rukai had been pinned in Renji's arms, screaming and trying to claw out her own eyes.

"She is," he answered. Then he added. "The captain had to give in. He let Unohana give her something to block out her memories. It's not permanent, but it's supposed to let them come back slowly so she can, I guess, process them or something. Now she's all fuzzy and, you know after you've had a really horrible nightmare and you can't remember it, but you can't breathe you're so scared? That's how she is. And it's kinda mucked up her other memories too so she's kinda confused, but I guess she'll know you. It was nice of you to come."

"We just wanted to see how you were doing, and if we can help--"

"Nah, there's nothing--well, could you tell Kaien-san, I think she'd like to see him? She's asked about him a couple times. I think she sorta remembers seeing him fighting Tosen, but when I tell her what happened she doesn't really get it--hey, Rukia, look who dropped by!"

Rukia turned abruptly. Her huge eyes were suddenly on Kira and Hinamori. Hinamori immediately understood what Renji had meant by fuzzy. Her eyes focused on them for a moment but almost immediately began to drift away, like she had never really seen them in the first place. She was distracted by memories she could no longer find.

"It's Kira and--"

"I know Kira and Momo. I'm not stupid," Rukia interrupted him impatiently, and Hinamori was happy to hear she sounded like herself, even if she didn't have quite the spark she'd once had, and the apology that followed certainly wasn't like her. "Sorry. I'm sorry, Renji. I am stupid. You're just trying to help."

"Hey, it's alright. You're not stupid, Rukia," Renji said, but her attention had already wandered.

She was looking off to one side. Her expression was puzzled and a little worried as she stared vaguely at something only she could see. "Renji?" she said, and there was an edge to her voice, like she was fighting the urge to panic. "Did--did something happen? Did--something's wrong--"

Renji was beside her instantly, taking her hands and telling her nothing was wrong. Hinamori fought the urge to cry as she watched him, practically begging Rukia to let it go, to not try to remember, to just trust him and not worry about any of it. He was trying so hard to protect her, but in the end there wasn't really anything he could do. Rukia was lost and incomplete without her memories, but the memories, when they came back, would probably still be too much. They would probably shatter her all over again.

In her head, Hinamori could hear Rukia screaming like she had two nights earlier. Had Captain Aizen done that to her? It was unthinkable, and yet Kira believed it. Everyone believed it. How could they believe her beloved Captain Aizen was a monster, because only a monster could have hurt Rukia like this. She couldn't stand it; she couldn't stand to even consider it. The idea was just too horrendous. The Third Seat had to be right. There had to be some sort of dark plot corrupting the Gotei from within because the alternative was just too awful. Hinamori could never accept that Captain Aizen was a monster.


	25. Chapter 25

"Captain Ichimaru, if I might have a moment of your time."

Gin smiled as he turned. Shiba Kaien must have been waiting for him. The narrow lane was an almost direct route from the Third to First but it had little else to recommend it as it ran behind an ironworks and a kiln and didn't exactly smell pleasant. Gin mostly took it when he wanted to waste time before meetings catching up on the rumors of the working class of Seireitei. He was impressed Kaien knew to look for him there.

"Having a good day, Shiba-dono?" Gin asked.

Kaien glanced at the men working nearby, but no one showed any interest in either of them. Gin knew that was a front and half the lower classes would know he'd met with the head of the Shiba family on a back street of Seireitei by tomorrow, but as Kaien was probably only concerned about his family hearing about it Gin didn't bother to warn him. "Why wouldn't I be?" Kaien answered Gin's question with a frown.

"No idea," Gin answered, smiling broadly. "It's a very pleasant day, not at all hot for the end of August. Shiro doesn't like it, but I think it's quite nice."

Kaien stepped closer and lowered his voice. "You can't go around threatening the nobility. They won't stand for it."

"Did Hidemitsu tell on me? Wasn't calling Soifon enough? I really may have to go pay him another visit just to explain to him exactly who is bullying who here."

"He called Soifon?" Kaien demanded, looking completely confused. "What does she have to do with anything?"

"Not much, really," was Gin's opinion. "But I'm not welcome on Shihoin property anymore. Does the same go for the Shiba?"

No, of course not," Kaien said. "You only did what Miyako asked, but I would really appreciate it if you would stay away for awhile. To be honest your presence is the opposite of helpful in the arena of Shiba family politics."

"Did you think I was trying to help?" Gin asked in surprise. "I don't mind doing you a favor every once in a while, but at the moment I really am too busy for that. I was hoping to find out where Hidemitsu-kun was getting his information. I suppose you might not have heard, but we have a leak and probably a traitor somewhere right up near the top of the Gotei, more than one, I'd guess. The murdered Ninth Division officer was one of them--according to your Hidemitsu, he was the one feeding the Shiba family Gotei secrets, but the Kuchiki seem to have a different source. I wouldn't be at all surprised if there's at least one officer in every division still loyal to Aizen. It's going to be quite the pain digging them all out, and if they keep killing each other off we may never manage to link them to Aizen."

Kaien stared at Gin in horror. "The Shiba family has been getting Gotei secrets from an agent of Aizen?"

"Wasn't it obvious?" Gin asked. "Who else knows so much about me? I doubt there's another captain working for Aizen, and they're the only ones who were given the details of my crimes, but Aizen could easily fill his agents in on all sorts of details that would upset all the little nobles or shinigami or whoever it is who's supposed to hate me this week.

"It's been quite the experience. I really did think everyone already hated me, but just yesterday Kira had to use bakudo 61 on some poor girl who drew her zanpakuto on me because her brother died with Lieutenant Suzuki. It's too bad because she was reasonably talented, unlike her brother, and I hate to lose her. Maybe you'd take her at the Thirteenth? You wouldn't object to a transfer whose only gotten one bad mark for some minor insubordination, would you?"

"She tried to kill you and you want to transfer her to the Thirteenth?" Kaien said slowly.

"If a kitten bites you can you really accuse it of trying to kill you?"

"Are you sure that's the wisest attitude to take? We have laws for a reason. People can't be allowed to go around trying to kill people, not even if you are the person they want to kill."

"And I'm sure you all at the Thirteenth can explain that to her--oh, and there are three others Kira locked up for trying to incite a bit of a rebellion. I'll send you them as well. I'm sure your Division Thirteen magic will turn them all into useful and cooperative members of the Gotei in no time."

"What Division Thirteen magic?"

"I don't know. You all seem terribly fond of each other over there, friendly and cooperative and all that. I've heard you even have voluntary assignments. I'm not sure if I believe that, but it must require some sort of magic if it's true. The only thing anyone in my division volunteers for is a transfer."

"You really have gone out of your way to make them hate you," Kaien said, looking grudgingly impressed. "You've managed take the Third from a barely functioning dumping ground for the most incompetent shinigami into a division that routinely exceeds expectations on every review, but rather than taking any credit for their achievements you've managed to convince all of your members that they've succeeded despite you. I get that Aizen wanted you to play the villain, but even so, don't you think you may have taken it a little far?"

Gin shrugged. "Being hated was easy; it's what I'm supposed to do next that is giving me trouble," he said, admitting a problem that had been troubling him since he'd left the Fourth. Realizing that it did actually bother him a little to be hated by absolutely everyone had been a bit of a surprise, but while interacting with the division he'd realized he didn't even really enjoy making everyone miserable--the idiots probably deserved it, but even so, without the sense of satisfaction he had once gotten from knowing he was succeeding in his role for Aizen, it wasn't actually a nice feeling, knowing someone was hurting because of him. He didn't like it; this new feeling of empathy and awareness of the people around him as people rather than pawns in his war against Aizen, it wasn't pleasant. Neither were the odd twinges of guilt that had begun to accompany his recollections of the past. His iron grip on his emotions seemed to be slipping now that the reason for that control was gone, and he didn't like it in the least.

"You mean you no longer want to be hated?" Kaien asked in surprise.

Gin stared at him for a moment before he managed to force a smile to his lips. "Don't get your hopes up, Shiba," he said, lightly. Then he added, "Look at the time! I'm going to be late for the captains meeting; can't have that!"

And with that he shunpoed the rest of the way to the First, and for the first time since he made captain, he arrived before the meeting began.


	26. Chapter 26

In Gin's opinion Kurotsuchi's plan was insane, but no one asked him, or they had, but they assumed his answer was based more on his own personal cowardice than any real reason. They might have been right, but he didn't think not wanting to be dead was cowardice so much as common sense. Obviously this wasn't a concern people like Kuchiki Byakuya and Zaraki Kenpachi had, but sane people, people whose life goals did not include going out in a blaze of glory, liked to consider their chances of coming back from a mission. Of course, Kurotsuchi wasn't concerned either, but Gin figured he probably had seven or eight backup copies of himself stored away somewhere in RD.

"What about Karakura?" he suggested somewhat desperately.

"What about it?" the scientist demanded suspiciously.

"There are sure to be some Arrancar running around there sooner or later; there always are," Gin said. "What with it being the center of everything, and I'm sure Aizen will want to send someone to check on Ichigo eventually. We can just pick up whoever he sends; don't have to bother with Hueco Mundo at all."

"We cannot depend on a random appearance by an unknown Arrancar in an area as large as Karakura," Kurotsuchi protested.

"You're pretty certain Aizen has a special interest in Ichigo," Kyoraku said. "But it was you he sent poor Rukia-chan to."

Gin shrugged. He supposed his betrayal could have distracted Aizen from his obsession with Isshin's son, but it seemed unlikely. For one thing, he doubted Aizen considered him a real threat. Unlike Tosen, he had been aware from the very beginning that Aizen considered them nothing more than useful servants. He had always seen himself of capable of rising to far greater heights than they could possibly reach. Gin believed that even now Aizen considered only Yamamoto as a possible equal, an equal to be beaten with the power of the Hōgyoku. But for reasons Gin had never completely understood, Aizen saw Ichigo as holding the potential to reach as high as he himself might. So, yes, he believed Aizen's obsession would continue. "I doubt he'll send me another visitor. He's made his point. Next time I hear from him will probably be my ending so I'm definitely in no hurry for that."

"Why are we considering such a small mission anyway?" Toshiro demanded. "It seems to me like every day we don't act is another day for Aizen to use the Hogyoku to increase his strength and his army. Why aren't we going on the offensive? We have eleven captains here and as many more captain class shinigami to fight with us. Shouldn't we attack now, before he's fully prepared? Taking the fight to Hueco Mundo would also enable us to keep the battle away from civilian populations both here and in the World of the Living. Acting now sounds to me like our best possible option. I don't understand why everyone else seems so determined to take things as slowly as possible."

"The young are always in a hurry," Yamamoto said, shaking his head.

"Young Captain Ichimaru makes a good point," Komamura said. "Aizen will grow stronger and when Captain Ukitake is recovered we will be at the peak of our strength. Too much delay will be far more beneficial to Aizen than to us."

"If only we knew what we were dealing with," Kyoraku said. "I'd like to take a crack at Kisuke. He doesn't much like sharing what he knows, and he's probably more than a little peeved at us for letting someone get ahold of Yoruichi, but maybe if I paid him a friendly little visit--"

"Don't drink so much you can't remember what you talked about," Soifon suggested.

"Hum, yes," Kyoraku agreed. "Will have to watch myself, not much point in going in the first place otherwise."

"I'm sure Lieutenant Ise would be willing to prevent you from overindulging," Kuchiki said dryly.

"She would; it's true," Kyoraku agreed. "But I'm not sure I'm comfortable bringing her to Karakura if there's a chance of running into an Arrancar. If Gin-kun's right Karakura could turn into a dangerous place. Perhaps we should send someone to keep an eye on it, someone both Kisuke and Ichigo would be comfortable working with."

"Oh, send Shiba," Gin suggested with a grin. "His family's been giving him all sorts of trouble. We really should give him a chance to go give Isshin a piece of his mind--and, you know, Ichigo and crew stayed with him while they were here, and he's been visiting Urahara for Ukitake for the past decade or two so he is a good choice--but I really would love to be there when he tells Isshin off for disappearing and sticking him with the responsibility for the entire Shiba family. He's got to be furious about it. You should have seen his face when I told him Ichigo was Isshin's son! It was priceless!"

"Be hard not to be a little annoyed," Kyoraku had to agree. "I'd like to hear the whole story from Isshin myself, but I suppose there are more important things to deal with at the moment. I suppose Kaien wouldn't be an awful choice; can't really think of anyone else. Ichigo spent his time with the lieutenants mostly, but they're all pretty busy at the moment, but if we're dealing with Arrancar anything less than captain class would be pretty pointless anyway. We might as well send Kaien if Ukitake can spare him."

"Lieutenant Shiba is one of our strongest lieutenants," Yamamoto said, nodding thoughtfully. "He should be adequate for the protection of Karakura, and neither Urahara nor Ichigo should have any objections to working with him. If there are any Shiba family issues that the Lieutenant needs to work out with his cousin that would not be an issue of discussion for the Gotei."

Gin did not even try to look abashed at the General's obvious rebuke. "Well, I, for one, would much rather go with Shiba than on Kurotsuchi's Arrancar hunt to Hueco Mundo, but if we are going, I think Shiro's right, and sooner is better than later."

"Once we have adequate information it may indeed be the case that we should force Aizen's hand," Yamamoto said. "Our next move will be determined by the information Kisuke is willing to share and whatever Kurotsuchi is able to learn once an Arrancar has been successfully captured for his examination. Until then it would be rash to take any major action. We do not know enough to make a wise choice."

Gin sighed, accepting that he wasn't going to be able to change their decision, at least not during this meeting. He obviously would have to come up with something later. He was not about to go to Hueco Mundo.


	27. Chapter 27

Nemu spent the day with Rangiku. She was one of the two lieutenants on guard duty during the captains meeting. The second lieutenant, Kira, was in the garden arguing with Kinta over his newest plan for remodeling the waterway.

"Do you enjoy very much being a mother?" Nemu asked as she carried Yuki back and forth--she was very puzzled by the infant's desire to be held by a standing rather than a seated person, but she was learning that babies could not be reasoned with so she paced and the baby's eyes blinked blearily. "Babies seem to be quite a bit of work, and pregnancy and giving birth are both fraught with peril. Do you find it to be worth it?"

Rangiku smiled. "I suppose it isn't for everyone, but I love it. I really do. They drive me mad, and I'm so exhausted right now I think I could cry, but they're everything, just everything--when the Arrancar was here all I could think was how close Yuki and Kin-chan were and if I could get him to follow me away from them. I thought I wouldn't mind if he killed me as long as he didn't come back for them."

Nemu nodded seriously. "It is a mother's instinct to protect her children; even a difficult baby like Yukiko, who cries constantly and does nothing but make her mother's life more difficult, can depend on her mother for protection."

"Course she can," Rangiku said with a huge smile. "'Cause I'm her mommy."

"And even before she was born you felt that way. It is curious, isn't it, how strong the instinct is to protect one's offspring?"

"Is it?" Rangiku said. "Seems about right to me."

"Even Captain Ichimaru, despite all the monstrous things he was willing to do for Aizen, could not allow Toshiro to be harmed. The instinct of a father overrode a hundred years of careful planning and any sense of self-preservation, forcing Captain Ichimaru to shield his son irregardless of the cost." Nemu paused for a moment to look down at the baby asleep against her chest. She really was a beautiful baby; she had such perfect pale, clear skin and hair as white as Jushiro's--Jushiro who was still sick in bed and would probably take years to regain even the health he had had when they had married--the health he had had before Ichimaru Gin had begun poisoning him with her cosmetics.

"I am sorry, Rangiku-san," Nemu said abruptly. "But I have found that my anger toward Captain Ichimaru will not be calmed. Shiro-chan is a very good person, and despite all of the suffering he endured, he has forgiven Captain Ichimaru, and truly bears him no ill will, but I am afraid I am not so good. I have tried, but every time I remember how the slow, steady decline of his health was stealing away the hope for a future he had risked allowing to grow for the first time in centuries, I have an irrational desire to tear Captain Ichimaru's head from his body. I had no idea I could feel such anger! It was a shock to discover. I have never desired to commit any act of violence against any person before."

Rangiku sighed. "He brings it out in everyone," she said. "Tell you what, you can't kill him, but when he does get home you could hit him. It'd probably make you feel a little bit better, and it's not like he doesn't deserve it."

Which was why, nearly an hour later, Gin's face collided forcefully with Nemu's fist as he was walking up the path to his front door. The lieutenant's inhuman strength sent him flying back almost ten yards before he hit the ground with blood gushing from his nose and mouth.

He was almost instantly back on his feet, shouting, "What was that for--oh." He broke off as he identified his attacker, and instead of saying anything more, spat a couple of teeth into his hand.

"Did it help?" Rangiku asked from the doorway.

Nemu was standing a few feet ahead of her, looking down at her hand curiously. It was liberally decorated with Gin's blood. "Perhaps. I think my anger might dissipate further if I continued to hit him, but Shiro-chan wouldn't approve."

"Neither would I," Gin couldn't help adding.

"You don't get an opinion," Rangiku called out to him. "You still owe Nemu and Captain Ukitake an apology. Poisoning him after all the kindness he's shown us! You know his family gave us nearly everything we had for Shiro-chan, clothes and toys and books, when we were so completely broke, and you go and poison him--for years!"

For a moment Gin just stared at her like he'd been stricken dumb by her words. "Rangiku, have you been paying any attention at all?" he asked finally. "I was working for a very, very bad man. Poisoning Captain Ukitake is not remotely close to the worst thing I did for him--I am sorry, Nemu, and I did lighten it up a little last spring, you may have noticed; he was getting frighteningly thin, and killing him was never the goal--but I was a monster. I killed lots and lots of people. I set hollows on villages--"

"Sir!" Kira's shout from behind cut him off abruptly, and Rangiku's expression shifted abruptly to absolutely horrified. Even Nemu's eyes widened.

Gin didn't move as Rangiku rushed past him to catch hold of the small son whose genius-level mastery of shunpo had brought him into the middle of his father's confession.

Kira was apologizing. "Sir, he wanted to surprise you. I would never--I had no idea--I--"

"Kira, you can get back to work now," Rangiku said, scooping Kinta up and somehow smiling brightly. "Gin can keep an eye on us now. Thank you."

Nemu pulled out a handkerchief and stepped up to Gin. "I am sorry, now, for hitting you, Captain," she said, handing him the handkerchief. "I think you will never be free from the consequences of your crimes. Your guilts separates you from every other person, even those you love. You are forever alone, and you chose this path knowing you would be. I understand, now, why Jushiro pities you."

She walked away as he pressed the cloth to his face, and as she reached the edge of the garden, Kinta's clear, childish voice asked, "Why would Daddy kill people?"


	28. Chapter 28

Ichigo was very surprised when he stepped in the front door of his home and did not immediately have to deflect a fist to the face or a kick to the chest, but that surprise blew up by about a thousand percent when he found his entire family seated in the living room talking to a perfectly normal and respectable-looking young man who just happened to be Shiba Kaien.

He froze, completely unable to find any way to respond to a shinigami in his living room. It was worse than when Rukia had shown up at school. This was his family. Had the shinigami messed with their brains like they had his classmates? Who did they think Kaien was?

"I can't believe you went and stayed with Dad's family and you didn't even tell us!" Karin said, turning to glare at Ichigo. Then she turned back to their father. "And I can't believe you didn't tell us you had any family! Here we've been living like orphans all this time and you have a family?!?"

It isn't entirely Isshin-san's fault," Kaien said. "He chose to follow his own path, to marry your mother and become a doctor, rather than to stay at home and run the family--business. I'm afraid most of the family still considers him dead. It's too bad. Even when Ichigo was staying with us, there were many who did not want to accept him as family. I feel bad about that. I think it must have been an uncomfortable visit for Ichigo."

Ichigo continued to stare. How was it that Kaien could talk about the Great Shiba House like it was any family, and Ichigo's experience in Seireitei like it had been a normal summer vacation?

"What was it like?" Yuzu asked turning her huge eyes on her brother. "Did you meet a lot of our cousins? What about our grandparents?"

"They died a long time ago," Ichigo answered, his eyes shifting to his father. Ichigo'd been told his grandmother had only passed away a year or two earlier--after his father had left Soul Society, but Isshin showed no sign that the news meant anything to him. Then again, Urahara could probably have told him when his mother passed. Urahara did seem to know pretty much everything that was going on in Soul Society despite not having been there in a century. "But there were a lot of other people." The nobles of the Shiba family had generally ignored him and the other Ryoka when they happened to run into each other on the expansive Shiba Estate. "It was really traditional. The main house was really old and beautiful, and there was no western furniture at all. They only eat Japanese food--except whenever this crazy little girl with pink hair would show up, and then Miyako-san, that's Kaien-san's wife, would suddenly pull out a box of cookies, and the girl would eat them all in like five seconds flat."

"Pink hair?" Karin repeated skeptically.

"That would be Yachiru. She's a--neighbor of ours. I'm afraid her--father spoils her, but then we do too. Can't seem to help it. I think pretty much everyone gives Yachiru exactly what she wants."

Isshin smiled suddenly. "Did you get to meet Kenpachi, Ichigo?" he asked.

Ichigo paled, and his father laughed. "Now there's someone who can toughen you up."

"If he doesn't kill me," Ichigo said, wondering how much of the rest of his life he was going to have to spend running from the Captain of the Eleventh.

"I heard you won," Kaien said.

"He wants a rematch," Ichigo explained, and Kaien nodded.

"You got in a fight while you were visiting our family?" Karin demanded. "No wonder they don't want anything to do with us. They probably think we're all crazy like you and Dad."

"I didn't start it!" Ichigo protested.

"I'm afraid we're pretty much all into fighting back home," Kaien said. "It's where your dad gets it."

"You fight?" Karin said, looking at Kaien doubtfully.

Ichigo could see why she was doubtful. Kaien, of all the shinigami, was probably the most normal-looking. He didn't have the tattoos both Hisagi and Renji sported, and unlike most of the nobles his hair was short. He wasn't even particularly muscular, at least not so that you'd notice. Ichigo did have to appreciate that; at least they hadn't sent one of the showier lieutenants or a captain! He could just imagine Kenpachi walking down the road in Karakura; even if he was wearing normal clothes everyone would stare.

"I am considered very skilled in kendo," Kaien said with a smile. "And so is my wife, Miyako. In fact, we met in a kendo class in school."

"You were highschool sweethearts?" Yuzu said. "How romantic!"

"I don't think Ichigo's figured out girls exist," Karin said.

"Like I'd tell you," Ichigo snapped back.

"Ah, Miya-chan!" Isshin said, suddenly lost in reminiscence. "She was such a good girl, not like my Rangiku-chan; she was trouble, but they were both such cute girls!"

"Rangiku-san is not cute!" Ichigo couldn't help protest.

"Not cute! Are you blind? Rangiku is the epitome of feminine charm and--" Isshin broke off, his expression changing suddenly. "She didn't get fat, did she? It's Ichimaru's fault, three babies and driving my poor Rangiku-chan to drink. No wonder--"

"She's not fat," Ichigo interrupted. "She's just--she's--" he was at a loss to describe Rangiku. The woman was overwhelming at the very least, both her appearance and the emotion she had poured out on learning he was Isshin's son. "You should have told her you were ok, sent her a letter or something. She thought--"

Ichigo shook his head. He'd met lots of captains and their lieutenants. He couldn't think of one lieutenant who wouldn't have been devastated by the loss of their captain--maybe Omaeda, but he was sure it must have been awful for Rangiku. He had no idea why his father had done what he did, but there had better have been a really good reason.

"Who's Rangiku-san?" Karin demanded, glaring at her father. "You didn't leave some poor girl behind when you came to Karakura, did you?"

"You always said Mom was the only woman you ever loved," Yuzu put in.

"You've got it all wrong!" Isshin protested. "Rangiku-chan was my--my assistant, my happily married assistant, thank you very much! Even if that husband of hers was a nasty piece if work."

"You had an assistant?" Karin said, looking doubtful. "What did you do?"

Isshin looked frantically from Ichigo to Kaien, at a loss to think of some profession other than Captain of the Tenth Division of the Gotei 13.

"He was the general manager of the family business, or he was supposed to be, before he took off and left it for the rest of us to deal with," Kaien said.

"The family business? What's that?" Karin asked.

"Girls!" Isshin interrupted. "Look at the time! Shouldn't you be working on dinner? We have to serve our guest something special!"

His declaration got rid of Yuzu but Karin wasn't so easy. She was looking at Kaien with very sharp eyes after her sister left the room.

"Who are you really?" she demanded.

"I am really the son of your father's cousin," Kaien answered, smiling at her skepticism.

"No, you're not. You feel different, like Ichi-nii," Karin said. "You're one of them, aren't you?"

"Them?" Kaien asked, trying to look innocent.

"She knows about shinigami, Kaien-san," Ichigo said.

"But not about you?" Kaien said, turning toward Isshin.

"You leave my girls out of this. Ichigo, what sort of a big brother are you, letting Karin find out about the shinigami? You're supposed to protect your sisters! That stuff is far too dangerous for them!"

"Shut up, Dad," Karin said. "I want to know what's going on."

"So do I," Ichigo agreed. "Kaien-san, why did Soul Society send a lieutenant to Karakura?"

"It's just a precaution. I'm supposed to keep an eye on things in case Aizen decides to send something your way. Ichimaru thinks he will, but I doubt anything's going to happen. Ichimaru's gotten pretty jumpy since the Arrancar visited Rangiku."

"Wait a second," Karin said. "If you're a shinigami and Ichi-nii is a substitute shinigami and you and Dad both know this Rangiku, then if Dad really is your cousin--how could you not tell us you're a shinigami?"

Isshin flinched back at the anger Karin directed at him. "Karin-chan, that was all a long time ago, and--"

"What does that make us? Are we even human?"

"Of course you're--"

"Did Mom know? Did you lie to her too?"

"I would never--"

"I can't believe you would lie about something so important! Were you ever going to tell us?"

"Karin-chan, I--"

"Don't you 'Karin-chan' me! You're a big, fat lying liar! I don't even know who you are! Is Kurosaki Isshin even your name?"

"Actually it's--"

"More lies! You're a terrible person, did you know that? You lied to your own children! About who we are! We don't even know what we are!"

Ichigo and Kaien slowly inched their way out of the room as Karin continued to tell her father off.

"Are you staying here?" Ichigo asked as they stepped outside.

"Isn't that what family is for?" Kaien answered.


	29. Chapter 29

Gin did not react when he heard the door open. He continued to stare at the same page of text he'd been staring at for the last hour. He'd left it to Rangiku to deal with Kin-chan and closed himself up in his study after cleaning the blood off his face and changing his clothes. Nemu had broken his nose as well as knocking out a couple of teeth, but he could manage enough of a healing kido to put off going to the Fourth until morning, if he bothered at all.

He'd heard Toshiro come home with food, but decided to let them enjoy their dinner. There really was no reason to force them all to endure his presence. Cold food had never bothered him anyway.

He heard the door fall shut again, and Rangiku spoke. "I brought you some dinner."

She set the plate in front of him when he didn't respond and reached a hand across the desk to run her fingers through his hair. "How's your nose?" she asked. Her voice sounded teasing, but he could tell it was strained.

"I'm fine, Rangiku," he said, not looking up.

"Rangiku?" she repeated. "Really? Do you really think calling me Rangiku is enough to get me to leave you alone to wallow in guilt and self-loathing? You did what you believed you had to do. Shiro-chan understands; Kin-chan and Yuki both will too someday. You--"

"Toshiro despises me," Gin said softly. "Not that I can blame him."

Rangiku slid her hand under his chin and forced him to raise his head, to meet her eyes as she leaned across the desk. An enormous smile spread across her face as a thought suddenly occurred to her. "This is just like back in the old days when you tried to avoid me and called me Matsumoto-san, and I'd come and bug you at the Fifth--and you still don't look down my top!"

"I've seen what's under it."

"You hadn't then."

"And I was trying very hard not to. You were tempting enough as it was."

Rangiku sighed, and the smile faded from her lips.

"Shiro-chan doesn't despise you," she said. "He's very angry at you. He wishes you'd done pretty much everything differently, straightforward and directly, like he would have, not lying and waiting and deceiving everyone, but he understands or he's starting too. He knows you're not like him, and you couldn't have done things the way he would have. You could only be who you are. You did the very best you could, and you did it because you love us and you want to keep us safe. He understands that, and that's the part that matters. He could never hate you, knowing all you were trying to do was save us."

"I don't know, Ran. There are plenty of people who are finding it very easy to hate me, pretty much everyone but you, and I think we can all agree that your judgement is not the best where I'm concerned."

"It's not just me," Rangiku interrupted. "You heard Nemu; Captain Ukitake's forgiven you, and Kira adores you--I have no idea why, the way you always pick on him, but he really does. I don't think one of the people who was here the other night hates you--maybe poor little Momo, but that's just so she can keep lying to herself--I do wish there was some way you could help her. You knew the real Aizen. It seems like you should be able to help her see the truth."

"She sees what she wants to see, like you do."

Rangiku laughed at that. "Is that what you think? You think I'm like Momo, making up some beautiful, perfect picture of you to love? I know exactly what you are, Gin. I know you're a liar and a murderer, and whatever conscience you ever had you've buried so deep you've almost forgotten what guilt feels like. I know you made yourself into a monster, and for a long time it scared me. But it never made me love you any less because I do see the real you. I could see that you were fighting like hell for us. You were tearing yourself up, inside and out, pushing yourself harder than any sane person ever would for us. Despite what you and Shiro think, I've never been blind to what you are. I've always known, and I've always known you are worth loving anyway."

Gin stared at her wordlessly. His thoughts could not progress beyond how very undeserving he was of Rangiku and her love. She was too kind, too forgiving. He didn't know what to do or say in the face of such absolute and unconditional love. He would happily have spent the rest of his existence making whatever amends she demanded. This, this asking nothing; he had no idea what he was supposed to do with this.

"And now you're going to go read Kin-chan a bedtime story to show him that no matter what scary things Captain Ichimaru Gin may have done, here at home he's still just Daddy, who complains when he has to read children's stories and cheats at games and loves his family more than anything in the world."

Gin smiled slightly. Kinta had always had such absolute faith in him. Maybe he really could just separate 'Daddy' from 'Captain Ichimaru' and not worry too much about what he had heard this afternoon. "You really think he wants me to read to him?"

"No," Rangiku answered, still smiling. "He's scared and confused and told me Niichan should read his story tonight, but you need to show him you're the same person you've always been--and if he asks you any questions you have to answer honestly. He's always trusted you, and as long as you honor his trust, I think he always will. You're his daddy. He loves you, and he wants to believe in you."

Gin sighed as he got to his feet. "At least I never had to worry about disappointing Shiro."

Rangiku sighed. "No, I don't think he's ever expected much from either of us. It's kind of sad if you think about it. I wasn't really much of a mom back then. He's practically had to raise himself. I hope I'm doing a little better with Kin-chan and Yuki."

Gin reached out and pulled her to him. "Don't say that. You're the best mom any kids ever had. You were exactly what Shiro needed. You gave him space to grow, but you were always there when he needed you. You still are. You're his lieutenant, and he knows you've always got his back, and Kin-chan's the happiest little kid I've ever seen, and that's because of you, too, and I know Yuki will be, too. You are a fantastic mom!"

Rangiku hugged him back for a second before pulling away. "Well, if I'm going to be a fantastic mom I'd better go get Yuki so Shiro-chan can take his bath."

"It's really going to be too bad when Shiro moves out," Gin said as he followed Rangiku from the office. "No more built in babysitter."

"I'm not a babysitter," Shiro declared, shoving Yuki into his mother's arms as he met them in the hall. "And I'm moving out as soon as Aizen is dealt with. All this back and forth is a pain in the neck. I have work to get done."

"Shiro-chan, you promised!" Rangiku protested, following as he turned back to the living room.

"I could get tons more done if I didn't have to spend all my time carrying papers back and forth, not to mention being the only person who cooks, the babysitter, and the Kinta corraller," Toshiro argued.

"I'll be back to work soon and you won't have nearly so much to do!" Rangiku said. "And no one asks you to cook. I thought you liked to."

"Don't you ever get sick of eating bento or in the Division mess hall?" Toshiro answered.

Gin turned away from their argument. Rangiku would probably win for the time being. Toshiro really was just a kid, and he couldn't completely hide the fact that he enjoyed being able to act like one at home. He'd always been a responsible child, but being able to whine and complain and blame other people for his problems was a luxury he enjoyed at home that the stoic Captain of Division Ten would never do.

So while Rangiku argued, Gin went to face son number two, the only one of their children who appeared to have inherited Rangiku's sunny disposition.

Kinta was already bathed and in bed. His golden curls were almost red as they hung in damp ringlets around his face. He was staring intently at the glossy pages of a children's book, taking in the picture of a boat on the sea, an image of a world as unreal to him as Soul Society must be to humans.

It suddenly struck Gin as funny that reality was just a matter of perspective. Humanity thought shinigami were mythical, and he'd never heard of any philosophy that included Soul Society as it really was, but to Kinta the idea of an ocean was equally unimaginable. Both were real but hidden from each other.

But Aizen had his eye on every world and every dimension. He wanted to replace the Soul King, but Gin knew that was not the end of his ambition. Every reality would be forced to align to his will. Hueco Mundo was already his, but he had his eyes on Heaven and Soul Society and probably even Hell. Everything and everyone would bow to him--and Gin knew no way to stop him or to protect his family from him.

Despair hit him once more with the force of a million lead bricks. It was crushing. Usually he could separate himself from it. He'd spent his entire life separating himself from anything he felt so he could do what needed to be done. But this time he had no plan, no direction, and only an impossible goal. Every day he was having a harder time not dwelling on it.

"Are you sad, Daddy?" Kinta asked, startling Gin from his thoughts.

"Nah," Gin answered with a quick smile. He didn't like realizing he'd allowed his feelings to be evident on his face, but then he remembered what Rangiku had said, be honest--like that was even possible for him. "A little worried, maybe."

"Do you think the White Man is going to come back?" Kinta asked, wide-eyed. They hadn't allowed him to see Rukia, but it was impossible to keep the knowledge of her injuries from him completely, and the White Man had become the villain in his young mind, and he had woken more than once to nightmares of the White Man chasing him. Gin understood. The emotionless Ulquiorra had featured in more than one of his nightmares, usually with hands dripping with Rangiku's blood.

"If the White Man comes back I will kill him," Gin promised, being much more straightforward and direct than Rangiku with her comforting 'Daddy will protect us' and 'Daddy won't let anyone hurt us' that she had told the boy when he awoke screaming.

Kinta stared at Gin a moment longer. Then, suddenly, he smiled. "You're a captain so you're stronger than the White Man, aren't you? You can fight him and beat him! You can beat anyone!"

Gin returned the smile, although he wondered. He'd tested his bankai on a Vasto Lorde once because it seemed wise to be sure of the potency of the poison, but, just like with Aizen, the trick with killing an Espada would be managing to make the killing blow. Not that he didn't have a plan worked out for taking out each and every one of Aizen's pets. He had studied them, just as he had studied the captains and lieutenants of the Gotei, learning their strengths and weaknesses and working out as many counters as possible because you never knew when someone might decide you were the enemy. Gin believed in being prepared.


	30. Chapter 30

Twelve Days after Aizen's escape

It wasn't until the next morning that Nanao realized the significance of Shuhei's middle of the night question. He had shaken her awake and demanded to know who called him 'Hisagi-san' to which she had replied that she had no idea why anyone would call him anything other than idiot and pulled a pillow over her head and rolled over. He'd tried to tell her it was always Lieutenant Hisagi or Shuhei-kun in the Gotei and Kyoraku-san outside. Almost no one called him Hisagi-san anymore, but she hadn't been listening.

But, of course, as she was sitting Ai-chan down for breakfast and Mina-chan, the nanny, told her Lieutenant Hisagi had hurried out the door just as she was arriving, she abruptly realized he was right. He was Lieutenant Hisagi to everyone below lieutenant and even most of the captains. A few people, lieutenants and less formal captains dropped 'lieutenant' but only the younger lieutenants added 'san'. Only Kira, Renji, and Hinamori called him 'Hisagi-san' and that was what he had told her the unknown woman had called him--she had to be Hinamori.

And of course the idiot was going to confront her, alone and defenseless because even after what had happened he still couldn't imagine Hinamori being dangerous. The idiot!

Nanao kissed her daughter goodbye and ran out the door.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hisagi felt extremely sorry for Hinamori Momo. She was in a situation very like his own, only she had no family to fall back on. Things had been difficult with Nanao, but he couldn't begin to imagine how he would have survived all that had happened without her. Poor Hinamori had been completely on her own.

And somehow Aizen had been able to contact her, and lie to her, and persuade her to serve him once again. He couldn't imagine what lies Aizen must have told her, but he knew how badly she must want to believe him, because he wanted just as badly to believe his own captain was not a villain.

He decided to go talk to her alone, without telling anyone, because he was sure that if he spoke to her, as a friend, understanding the struggle she was going through, he would be able to show her the truth, and once she understood, he'd help her find a way to get away from Aizen and all his agents in Seireitei, and bring her back to the right side without her having to pay for what she had done at Aizen's command. He was certain she had believed she was doing the right thing, and he didn't believe she should be punished, even knowing she had caused the problems he was having with his division and the entire Gotei.

Hinamori was alone practicing kido on one of the training fields far from any of the Fifth Division buildings. It was surrounded by high walls designed to contain explosive kido and violent shikai, and there was only a single entrance to keep traffic at a minimum. The last thing anyone needed when working out a new kido was someone walking up behind them.

"Do you need something, Hisagi-san?" Hinamori called out as she hit three targets with green reishi blasts.

Hisagi sighed as she began reciting the chant for Shakkaho. She clearly had no idea why he was here.

He crossed the sand to join her as a brilliant blast of red smashed one target to bits. "You can't keep following Aizen," he said as he reached her. "I know you want to believe in him. I understand; I feel the same. If they were somehow, secretly, fighting for Soul Society--but you know as well as I do that that's a lie. They're not good; they killed innocent people. And now Aizen is asking you to hurt innocent people."

Hinamori barely glanced at him. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said quickly. "But I wish you'd leave me alone," she added, before she began her next chant.

"I know you were there when Yoruichi was taken. I've remembered that much. You said you were sorry. You didn't want to hurt me, and I don't believe you wanted to hurt Yoruichi either. You probably didn't even know she was hurt until they found her in the prison at the First. You're a good person, Hinamori-san; you can't let yourself become a part of something evil, not even for your captain."

Hinamori's eyes narrowed. "I am sorry, Hisagi-san, but you're mistaken. Your memory from earlier in the evening must have gotten mixed up with what happened later."

She turned away from him and began another chant. "Scattered beast bones! Spire, Crimson Crystal, Steel Wheels! The wind if it moves--"

He spoke loudly, over the top of her chant, trying to force her to listen. "I'm not mistaken, and I have to report what I remembered, but if you'll go with me and you turn in the others who are working with--"

"--The tone of the spear striking fills the lone castle. Hado 63: Raikouhou!"

Hisagi tried to throw up a reiatsu shield, but he hadn't realized the danger in time. He was no match for Hinamori in kido at the best of times, but the fierce yellow lightning arced from her fingertips and shattered his shield like it wasn't even there. It hit him square in the chest, blasting through his heart and his entire nervous system in a fraction of second. He dropped like a stone.


	31. Chapter 31

Hinamori stared at Hisagi's fallen form in shock. She hadn't meant--she didn't want--she'd panicked! She would never do something like this! She could never hurt a friend! He'd frightened her, and she'd been working on kido. It was an accident.

She ran across the sand and dropped to her knees beside him. She pressed her fingers to his neck, but she didn't feel a pulse. They wouldn't believe it was an accident! The'd call her a murderer! They'd kill her like they were going to kill Rukia!

What was she going to do?

Then she saw his zanpakuto, still sheathed. He had attacked her, really, with his words. She'd just make it so everyone could see it, and they would understand why she'd hit him.

She drew the sword and turned it on herself. It was an awkward, almost impossible angle. If it wasn't a zanpakuto she knew there was no way she could get enough force to slice through even her shihakusho, but with Kazeshini--

Before she could change her mind she swung the blade into her shoulder. She cried out in pain as the deadly blade glanced off her collarbone and slashed across her chest. She dropped the zanpakuto reflexively and her hands went to her bleeding flesh.

"What did you do?"

Nanao's voice echoed in the walled yard, filled with a fury such as Hinamori had never before imagined. The girl hopped to her feet, and the red blast of Shakkaho shot through her shoulder, followed by a second almost instantly.

Pain burst from each point, even worse than the slash. Her earlier panic shifted to terror, and adrenaline rushed through Hinamori's veins as she jumped to her feet. She could see her death in Nanao's eyes. She'd never imagined the serious, responsible lieutenant could be so terrifying.

"Get away from him!" Nanao shouted at her. Red reiatsu radiated from her in deadly waves.

Hinamori raised her hands and stepped back. "I didn't mean--"

"Sokatsui!" Nanao shouted, sending a blast of blue flame at her. "I'll kill you, traitor!"

Hinamori jumped back, not quite escaping the attack. She stumbled and called out, "Bakudo 44!" Bringing up a barrier against Nanao's attack.

"Soren Sokatsui!" Nanao sent double the force of the first wave of flames, shattering Hinamori's barrier and bringing a scream to her lips. "He wanted to help you, and you attacked him! He felt sorry for you!" Three more red blasts of Shakkaho chased Himamori back to the far wall of the yard. "The crest of turbidity, seeping out. An insolent vessel of madness--"

Hinamori stared at Nanao in horror as the woman walked toward her reciting the chant to Hado 90. She wasn't fast enough to run, not in a race against Nanao. Her hand closed on Tobiume. Nanao didn't have a weapon. If she could close the distance between them...

Kira appeared in the open entry looking panicked. He shouted out,"Rikujokoro!" and Nanao was restrained just before she finished her chant.

Hinamori didn't even have time to breathe a sigh of relief before the six sided restraint shattered, and Nanao spun around to face her new attacker, but Kira had run to Hisagi and was calling up a healing kido.

Nanao stood for a moment, staring down at him, before she spoke in a voice that trembled, "Is he alright?"

Kira raised his head. "Send for Unohana," was all he said.

Nanao paused for only the shortest instant before pulling out her phone to contact the Fourth. There was no emotion in her voice as she requested the captain's help.


	32. Chapter 32

Renji sat silently watching as Toshiro attempted to argue with Zaraki Kenpachi. Coordinating defense strategies was probably an exercise in futility anyway, but trying to coordinate with the Eleventh was a joke. His captain had been wise to skip out.

"Having you and your officers race to the strongest available enemies is not a strategy!" Toshiro insisted loudly.

"Why not?" Kenpachi wanted to know. Behind him, Ikkaku was nodding in agreement, and Yachiru, having gotten bored, was trying to convince Yumichika to let her braid his hair.

"These are supposed to be full-division, multilayered, coordinated defense strategies," Toshiro said, rubbing his head in frustration. "In any case you can't be everywhere at once. What if the enemy has multiple strong members?"

"Suppose you and Kuchiki can have the extras," Kenpachi said with a shrug. "You got them big ice walls. You can at least hold 'em off till we get done with the first ones."

Toshiro groaned loudly, and Renji was pretty sure his mother would not have approved of what he was about to tell Kenpachi when a pair of black butterflies fluttered down to the captains.

"An emergency captains meeting," Toshiro said after a second. "Looks like our joint exercise is cancelled." He didn't manage to sound even slightly disappointed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Another emergency meeting, Gin really thought they were overusing the term. When you had an emergency meeting everyday surely it wasn't an emergency anymore. It was really almost a regularly scheduled meeting for discussing all the new problems for the day.

He certainly didn't see any reason to hurry in promptly on time. They'd assigned him to Kurotsuchi's mad mission to find an Arrancar to play with when he'd accidentally showed up on time for the meeting the day before, proving conclusively that on time was a bad idea.

He was walking back and forth through the nearby halls of the First looking for some sort of trouble to get into as the meeting's starting time approached.

"Finally," he heard Kurotsuchi exclaim and stopped abruptly. Kurotsuchi was always good for a little trouble. "I knew you couldn't hide forever!"

He would listen in for a bit. He hoped the mad scientist was up to no good. He was a little disappointed when he heard Ukitake respond, but at least he sounded less than pleased to have run into Kurotsuchi.

"I have not been hiding," the older captain said. "I'm sorry I have been too ill to see you, but from what Nemu tells me you have nothing to discuss with me in any case."

Gin raised an eyebrow quizzically. The two captains had stopped just before the turn in the walk. They were out of sight, but he could hear them clearly. The freak sounded seriously put out, almost as annoyed as he'd been when he'd realized all of his experiments were going to be getting oversight, and Ukitake sounded at least equally upset, how odd.

"Nothing to discuss? You render my lieutenant useless, and you think there is nothing to discuss?" Kurotsuchi demanded in that shrill, obnoxious tone that even managed to make Gin's skin crawl. "Nemu is my lieutenant. She is necessary to the operation of my division. You have done enough damage with your bleeding-heart ethics, insisting that dozens of troublesome and pointless regulations be enforced, and teaching Nemu your bizarre moral code. I will not allow you to interfere further!"

"I do not consider this to have anything to do with your division," Ukitake answered. "If you wish to speak to me as Nemu's father out of a concern for her health and wellbeing I am, of course, glad to listen, but if you wish to speak as her captain then I must tell you to kindly mind your own business."

It was too bad he started coughing at that moment because Gin was finding it more than a little entertaining, hearing the soft spoken captain tell off the freak. He was hoping Kurotsuchi would keep pushing him because he really did want to know what Ukitake would do if he was pushed too far. Everyone had a line, and it was important to know what they would do when they hit it.

He'd spent years studying all the captains and various other senior officers who might be dangerous, figuring out what might set them off and what they might do, and more importantly how to not end up dead if their anger was ever directed at him, but Ukitake, as far as he'd ever been able to tell, simply could not be pushed to violence. He supposed centuries playing the peacemaker among a crowd of hotheaded captains had helped Ukitake to forge his already even-tempered personality into one of near godlike patience and calm--but surely, if anything was going to make him lose it...

Gin grinned hugely. If Kurotsuchi had had any kind of control of his wife the mad captain would have died years ago, in laboratory accident or some such, but Ukitake had actually managed to forge something of a familial relationship with the man, but this, maybe this would finally be the last straw.

"To think she almost convinced me to begin work on a treatment for you," Kurotsuchi said the moment Ukitake's coughs quieted. "I should have started on a better poison. I will clearly have no peace until you're gone. You simply will not cease your meddling. But this time you have gone too far! Sabotaging another captain's lieutenant! I will take this to Yamamoto, and we will see what he thinks. It's not too late to undo if he--"

"What, exactly, are you suggesting?" And there it was, the tone Gin had been waiting for; that was real anger, still suppressed, but not for much longer if Kurotsuchi didn't take the hint and shut up.

Gin moved silently to the corner and peaked ever so carefully around the wall. Ukitake was bent and leaning against the wall; there was blood on the handkerchief in his hand and splattered over one white sleeve. Physically, he looked quite weak, and Kurotsuchi was looming over him with his freakish face paint and costume to make up for the fact that he was actually quite a bit smaller than the other man.

"It's nothing but a bundle of cells at this point, easily disposed of," Kurotsuchi said. He must have been oblivious to the fact that, although Ukitake did not move, his reiatsu was rapidly increasing, because he just kept talking, and even Gin, at that point, would have taken the hint and shut up. "But, because that idiot girl wants to keep you happy more than she wants to fulfill the purpose for which she was created, she's refused! It's absurd! Why should she keep it? It's the worst possible timing, and she knows it. She's told me she had no intention to become pregnant. She claims it was accidental, which is nonsense. Nemu is not the bimbo from the Tenth. She does not make mistakes. The only possible explanation is that you purposefully negated the kido. You do not want her involved in the fighting to come so you impregnated her!"

Gin let out a laugh. It had very suddenly occurred to him what had happened, and he covered his mouth a second too late. Both captains turned the instant he laughed, and were looking at him with very unfriendly expressions. He'd noticed that before about people, they didn't like to be eavesdropped on.

He stepped out from behind the wall to join them. "I don't suppose you've got anything new in your private quarters, made of stone perhaps?" he suggested with a very friendly smile if he did say so himself.

Ukitake's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about, Gin-kun? What could the decor have to do with anything?"

Gin was not happy with the way the other captain's reiatsu still hadn't calmed. Whether Ukitake could be driven to violence was not an experiment he'd wanted to take part in personally. "Didn't hear about Ran's little mistake with the sekiseki? Also known as Yukiko? Enough exposure to that stuff and all your kido go and fall apart."

"Nemu would have the sense to redo her kido after coming in contact with sekiseki; she's not a complete fool," Kurotsuchi snapped.

"Not if she didn't know it was there," Gin said. "You see I may have suggested as much to Aizen, as a joke, after Ran got knocked up. He really hated to see you two getting along so well. Or at all, really--he's not much for cooperation." He turned to Ukitake. "It's why I've been poisoning you for the past few years."

"You've been poisoning Captain Ukitake?" Kurotsuchi demanded, sounding almost gleeful at the idea.

"It was your poison," Gin protested.

"Which one?" Kurotsuchi demanded.

"M-36-K229-43 or was it 44?" Gin answered, frowning slightly. He'd taken both and couldn't quite remember which one he'd settled on.

Kurotsuchi turned thoughtful eyes on Ukitake. "Probably 44," he said. "43 does liver damage after long term exposure, but I see no signs of that."

Gin turned to Ukitake. "Kyoraku did pass on my message about throwing out all of Nemu's toiletries?"

Ukitake sighed and rubbed one hand over his face. "Yes, but I do wish, if you had to poison me, you could have used some other method to administer it."

"She didn't think she was making you worse, did she?" Gin asked.

"I assume that was the idea. It seems Aizen delights in causing such pain," Ukitake said slowly. "And now you're telling me that this child she has conceived is yet another plot by Aizen for no other purpose than to drive a wedge between me and Kurotsuchi?"

"Just a guess. If you find a piece of sekiseki in your room that'd pretty well confirm it. You'll need to figure out who put it there. I hate to think how many minions he could have running around Seireitei, just waiting for the chance to cause trouble. We're not going to have much of a Gotei left if we don't manage to stop them soon."

"Well, we will not let his plan succeed, of course," Kurotsuchi said. "Nemu will terminate this pregnancy, and we will move on without any hindrance whatsoever. I'm sure Aizen will be quite disappointed."

"Nemu has wanted a child for years, and she has been delayed over and over again because of my illness or some inconvenience to you. This accident or whatever it is has granted her wish and nothing less than the gods themselves will take it from her."

"And that's why I thought it was such a brilliant idea," Gin said, grinning hugely. "You two have been one good push away from killing each other since the day Ran-chan set Ukitake and Nemu up. I'm honestly not sure if even knowing it's what Aizen wants you can avoid it."

"Don't be absurd," Kurotsuchi snapped back. "We are quite capable of settling a disagreement without resorting to violence. We will simply put aside all foolish emotions and discuss the thing rationally—however that will have to come after this meeting as we are already late."

He turned and strode away, his strange air of dignity and conceit not at all affected by the harsh words of only moments ago.

Gin was not at all surprised to see Ukitake did not appear to agree with Kurotsuchi's dismissive attitude. The unfamiliar anger was still easy to read in his eyes.

"I've worked out seven different ways to murder him, if you're interested," Gin offered. He did owe Ukitake for helping Shiro out, after all, and it wouldn't be much of a chore, really, taking out the scientist.

Ukitake smiled then, his usual slow, gentle smile. "No, Gin-kun, I'm sure it wouldn't be right to murder my child's grandfather."

Gin sighed. Of course Ukitake would never consider violence. The man was a saint. He'd been a captain for centuries and had probably never killed anything that wasn't already a hollow.

"And, if it becomes necessary, I assure you I can handle him on my own," Ukitake added, gazing down the hall after Kurotsuchi with a very cold expression.

Gin frowned at the frail captain, wondering if that might actually be the case. How strong, exactly, did you have to be to keep yourself alive in the face of a fatal illness? And then to still have enough strength remaining not only to earn the position of captain but to hold onto it for centuries. Most captains had a pretty short shelf life. Lasting over a single century was pretty impressive. More than two was limited to four: Yamamoto, Unohana, Kyoraku, and Ukitake. He'd heard rumors Ukitake's reiatsu was absolutely beyond comparison, even to most captains, and all things considered, that probably was the case. He couldn't have lasted otherwise, not even with Kyoraku looking after him. He had to be able to hold his own.

He was startled when Ukitake suddenly smiled at him and patted him on the shoulder. "I do appreciate the offer, though. It's very kind of you."


	33. Chapter 33

It hardly seemed fair to Gin that walking into the hall side by side with Ukitake, he was scolded for being late while Ukitake received a welcoming smile from Yamamoto. He wondered if perhaps missing a couple weeks worth of meetings might make old Yamaji appreciate his presence more, but remembered that he had just missed a week's worth after trying to get himself killed, and no one, most particularly Yamaji, had seemed at all pleased to have him back.

He sighed. Thus was the fate of the unappreciated.

Gin only realized Yamamoto had moved on to the reason for the meeting when he heard the old man say, "--attacked by Lieutenant Hisagi."

His head jerked up abruptly and Yamamoto had his complete attention as he continued. "--Lieutenant Hinamori was forced to defend herself and brought down Lieutenant Hisagi with a high level kido. It is very unfortunate that Lieutenant Ise arrived then and, misinterpreting the situation, attacked Lieutenant Hinamori as--"

"She did what?" Kyoraku interrupted. "I'm sorry, Yamaji, but if Nanao-chan attacked Lieutenant Hinamori she must have had a pretty good reason. She'd be more likely to kill Shuhei herself if he'd attacked Lieutenant Hinamori than try to defend him. She's not one to stand by her man if he's done something wrong. That's not the kinda woman she is."

"I know, Shunsui," Yamamoto agreed. "It is very disappointing. Nanao has always seemed far more sensible than most females. I have always been impressed with her work, but she is a woman, and women are emotional. She severely injured Lieutenant Hinamori and was stopped from using Kurohitsugi only by Lieutenant Kira's timely arrival. If she had killed the girl I don't know what we'd do. As it is, I think we can all agree that, given the tense nature of the times, a few days suspension will be adequate."

"You're suspending my lieutenant?" Kyoraku demanded. "How're you so sure Shuhei's the one who attacked Hinamori and not the other way around? Seems to me that girl was pretty hung up on her captain. She's at least as likely as he is to be working for the other side."

"I am sorry, Captain Kyoraku, but the evidence is clear. Lieutenant Hinamori was wounded by a blade, and her blood was on his zanpakuto," Unohana said. "And Lieutenant Hisagi was struck only once, by Raikouhou. He would have lost consciousness instantly. His attack must have occurred first."

Kyoraku frowned. "You must have missed something," he muttered.

"If it is any comfort," Unohana said. "I do not believe he intended to do more than scare Lieutenant Hinamori. Her wound was quite superficial. Had Lieutenant Ise not also attacked Lieutenant Hinamori I would not even have had her brought to the Fourth."

Gin frowned. Well, they obviously had things backwards. Hisagi Shuhei wasn't going to betray the Gotei, but Hinamori would--if Aizen asked nicely enough. Poor thing was wrapped around his finger so tight she couldn't think for herself if she wanted to. Gin hadn't really expected Aizen to use Hinamori again simply because she was so obvious, but he'd clearly been wrong. Now he wasn't quite sure what to do about it. It wasn't like this lot was much interested in his opinion of things, for all that they said otherwise; they simply didn't trust him without some proof to back him up.

"We have kept this entire occurrence quiet, and I expect it to stay that way," Yamamoto said firmly. "We have already begun questioning Lieutenant Hisagi, and as long as his allies are not alerted, we may be able to root them all out before they are even aware of their danger."

Gin flinched at that. There was a reason Urahara would have been less than happy to hear Yoruichi looked like she'd undergone a Gotei inquisition; it included some fairly brutal torture. Fortunately, Gin was pretty sure Aizen's boys must have kept her unconscious through the whole thing, as they were clearly only going for appearance, and Yoruichi conscious was a pretty high escape risk--Hisagi would not be so lucky. He was in for some serious pain if he didn't answer their questions, and Gin knew he couldn't actually do so. "He's not going to be able to tell you anything," Gin said, feeling he really had an obligation to at least try to get the lieutenant out of it. "There really is no point in asking."

"Why is that?" Yamamoto demanded.

"He doesn't know anything. I told you before, Hisagi's loyal through and through."

"You defend Lieutenant Hisagi," Soifon said. "But you admit you do not know who Aizen's agents within the Gotei may be. You can't be sure that he is not one of them."

"Sure I can," Gin answered. "Why do you think Tosen chose him? Oddly enough, he thinks his cause is just, and he planned to bring Hisagi along. He was very disappointed when he realized Hisagi was never going to see it his way. You don't have to listen to me. You can go ahead and shove bamboo under his fingernails or whatever it is you do, but you'll figure it out eventually. Although I'd really recommend not letting Captain Kurotsuchi fry Lieutenant Hisagi's brain because, you know, I am right, and you might want to be able to give Lieutenant Ise back her husband once you figure that out."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Toshiro watched various captains argue back and forth. It was pretty obvious that no one was as certain as they pretended to be. They just couldn't get around the evidence. Hisagi had been there when Yoruichi vanished. The murdered shinigami was an officer from the Ninth, sent into Rukongai by Hisagi and decapitated with a weapon very like Hisagi's, and now Hinamori had been attacked by him--either that or she'd attacked him, and somehow made it look like he'd attacked her first, and what possible motive would she have for that?

Surely she'd learned her lesson about listening to Aizen. Toshiro hated Aizen more than he'd ever hated anyone for what he'd done to Hinamori. It wasn't the attack itself that made him hate the man, it was the expression on Hinamori's face when she'd realized her beloved captain had come back from the dead to murder her. No one should ever have to suffer such absolute betrayal. Surely she could never go back to him after that.

Only Toshiro knew exactly how much a woman in love was willing to overlook. He glanced across the room at his father with his fox-like smile, watching his colleagues argue about a man's fate as though it didn't matter in the slightest. His mother knew exactly how much of a monster Gin was; apparently, exactly like Toshiro, she'd suspected him of even worse for years, and it had never changed her feelings for him in the slightest. Toshiro didn't doubt that if his father tried to kill his mother and asked her forgiveness afterwards, she'd give it to him without a second thought.

Toshiro sighed. Stupid Momo! Didn't she understand the difference was his father would never hurt his mother? Rangiku was loved as deeply as she loved. Gin had unintentionally placed her in danger, but he would give absolutely anything to protect her. Why couldn't Momo see how one-sided her obsession with Aizen was? A man who was willing to let you die for him wasn't worth dying for.

By the time the meeting was over he knew what he had to do. For now Hisagi was still their main suspect, but his father was right, they would eventually figure out they were wrong about him. Then their eyes would finally turn to Hinamori. At most, she had a few days. Maybe she planned to run to Aizen. Maybe he'd even send someone to fetch her like he had Tosen. In any case Toshiro was determined that she would see the choice she was making for what it really was. She was choosing to put her love for Aizen before everything and everyone else. If she really was that sort of person, if she really was that selfish, then she deserved whatever happened to her. But Toshiro believed, at least he wanted to believe, that she was capable of choosing to do what was right if he could make her see it.


	34. Chapter 34

As the captains stepped out of the hall, no one could miss Lieutenant Ise standing very still and alone on the balcony outside. Her face showed no sign of distress; in fact, it showed nothing at all. She could have been carved of stone, she held herself under such tight control. Only her eyes betrayed her. Desperation was all too clear in their dark depths as she scanned the group.

"Lieutenant Ise, you were ordered to return to the Eighth and await your captain there," Yamamoto said in some annoyance.

"Yes, sir," she said, and even her voice was emotionless. Toshiro was impressed, and he had to say, he really agreed with Kyoraku; this was not a woman who lashed out emotionally. She'd attacked Hinamori for a reason. "But as he is here already, I thought it simpler to meet him as we might then walk back together."

"That's nice of you, Nanao-chan," Kyoraku said, before Yamamoto could respond. "I always like a pretty face to look at while I'm walking."

That Nanao did not respond with some sort of icy comeback was clear proof she wasn't doing well, and Kyoraku sighed. "Well, come along, Nanao-chan," he said, setting a hand on her shoulder. "We've got things to take care of."

Nanao relaxed visibly at his touch. "Yes, sir," she agreed.

Toshiro shunpoed directly to the Fourth the moment he heard that. He was probably overreacting, but he couldn't really put it past the two of them to do something stupid. They both clearly believed Hisagi was innocent, and after the whole thing with Rukia he knew better than to believe Captain Kyoraku was above thwarting the justice of the Gotei.

He hurried down the halls, ignoring the way the poor shinigami scurried to get out of his way. He had to make Hinamori see what she was doing and he had to do it now.

He didn't realize how angry he looked until he stormed into Hinamori's room, and she yelped and cowered back in the corner of her bed.

He stopped and took a deep, calming breath. Then he carefully closed the door behind him before turning to Hinamori once more.

She looked awful. She had bandages on her hands and arms and across her chest and even one on her cheek. Even the fringes of her bangs were singed. Nanao had not been messing around. She had really meant to kill Hinamori. Hado 90 would have done it too. If Kira hadn't made it in time--

Toshiro drew another deep breath. "What happened?" he asked finally.

Her eyes dropped to her bandaged hands. "I don't know why he attacked--"

"No," Toshiro interrupted. "What happened?"

"I was practicing and he attacked--"

"No," Toshiro interrupted again.

Hinamori raised her eyes to meet his. They were swimming with tears. "I was practicing," she protested miserably.

"Momo, you have to tell me the truth," he said. "You are hurting so many people right now. You want to help Aizen, fine, go join him in Hueco Mundo, but don't do this. Don't let them torture Hisagi for answers he can't give them. Don't destroy his family. Nanao loves him just as much as you love Aizen. What gives you the right to destroy the man she loves for the man you love?"

"I don't love Captain Aizen!" Hinamori protested with blushing cheeks. "I admire and respect--or I did." Her voice faded, and her head bowed once more.

"You believe in him. Whatever he's told you, you believe it. I get it. I'm not even going to try to argue about it. It doesn't matter. He wasn't there this morning. You were. You knocked Lieutenant Hisagi out, and you made it look like he'd attacked you first. You are the reason he has been arrested and is being questioned. You are the reason Lieutenant Ise looks like someone carved her heart right out of her chest, and you are the reason Aiko's daddy isn't coming home. You need to fix this."

Hinamori was sobbing by the time he finished talking. "I'm sorry, Shiro!" she said between sobs. "I'm so sorry."

He sat down next to her, and she threw her arms around him, hugging him like a child with a teddy bear, he couldn't help thinking. Her tears soaked into his shoulder as she apologized and told him it was all her fault over and over again, and he waited for her to calm down.

It wasn't until she fell silent that he finally spoke, "You're a good person, Momo. You made a mistake. It doesn't matter who's on what side of anything. You're not the sort of person who would ever let someone else suffer because of something you did. You are going to do the right thing."

Hinamori sat back and wiped the tears from her cheeks with the backs of her bandaged hands. "It was an accident. I was practicing. Hisagi-san, he tried to talk to me about--about--" she fell silent again, and her eyes dropped.

"It doesn't matter. Just tell me what happened."

"He scared me, and I--I already had a kido prepared so I just turned it on him--I didn't mean to hurt him, Shiro! I swear I didn't! But I couldn't feel his pulse and I thought I'd killed him, and I thought how Rukia hadn't done something nearly so bad and they were going to execute her, so what would they do to me? So I got Kazeshini, and I--I cut myself."

"And Lieutenant Ise?"

"I think she saw me drop Kazeshini--I never attacked her, though, not once," Hinamori added quickly.

"You know you have to tell Yamamoto the truth."

She nodded slowly. "Everyone's going to hate me now."

"No they're not," Toshiro said. "They'll understand like I do. You made a mistake, but you're willing to fix it. That's what matters."

She nodded. "Will you go with me?"

"Of course."

She smiled weakly at that. "Just give me a minute to get dressed, ok?"

Toshiro left the room willingly, but he wasn't an idiot. He kept a careful eye on her reiatsu. He wasn't about to let her run now.


	35. Chapter 35

Nemu heard the sound of porcelain breaking and watched in complete surprise as an old urn went flying out the open doors of the room she shared with Jushiro, followed by a bit of white stone. The two Thirteenth Division Third Seats were standing near the doorway, looking transfixed with horror, but as she approached, Kiyone spun around and stretched out her arms to block Nemu's path.

"Nemu-san," she said somewhat breathlessly. "I don't think you should go in there right now."

Nemu pushed the girl aside and stepped past Sentaro as well. The sight that met her eyes was so improbable she stopped in surprise. The entire room was torn apart. The futons, pillows and comforters had all been split open and the cotton filling spilled out across the tatami mat floor. Books Jushiro treasured and kept safely stored in the closet were dumped in a careless pile on the floor. The room's decorations, a pair of painted scrolls, vases that had held flowers, a tea set they used at night and a porcelain figurine had all been tossed out onto the grass along with several small white stones Nemu didn't recognize but assumed must have come from the room her normally calm, rational husband, appeared to be hellbent on destroying. He was currently prying up a tatami mat.

"Shiro-chan, what are you doing?" Nemu asked, unlike the others she assumed he must have some reason for what he was doing. He'd been perfectly sane in the morning. A man did not lose his mind over the course of a single day without some sort of extraordinary outside influence.

"Nemu, do you see those white rocks in the grass?" he asked, as he looked quickly over the flooring under the mat and pulled up the next one.

She turned her head. She did in fact see several small white pebbles. The two Third Seats saw them as well and looked relieved to find their beloved captain's actions were not completely inexplicable. "Yes, what are they?"

"Sekiseki," he answered, pulling up another.

"But why would there be sekiseki in our room, Shiro-chan?" Nemu asked, and behind her Kiyone gasped.

"According to Ichimaru Gin it is the result of a joke he once told Aizen," Jushiro jerked a mat from the floor and tossed it out the wide doorway.

Nemu was glad to see it flew quite a way before it collided with a decorative boulder. Her husband was clearly recovered from the fighting.

"Was it an amusing joke?" she asked.

He straightened and turned to look at Nemu. She was watching him calmly, with only a vague curiosity showing in her eyes. Behind her, his two Third Seats looked a disturbing combination of worried and shocked. Kiyone's eyes kept darting from him to Nemu, and she seemed to be growing more upset by the second by whatever she was thinking; he didn't even want to know. Nemu's calm was so much more helpful. He felt himself relaxing just looking at her. Everything would be alright.

He drew a deep breath before he answered, "I found it to be in very poor taste."

Nemu nodded. "I have noticed Captain Ichimaru tends to have a cruel sense of humor. I hope it was not worse than continually poisoning you using my cosmetics. I did not find that amusing at all."

"This is cruel in an entirely different way, although the goal is the same, to prevent me from working with your father. Apparently, Aizen found my ability to work with the man galling. Gin-kun tells me it's not personal and if Aizen could destroy every positive relationship the captains share, he would. Ours was simply the easiest."

"How could he easily destroy your relationship with my father? He has never worked so well with any captain before. He has told me you are only somewhat irritating rather than absolutely unendurable like the others. I do not understand how that is easily destroyed."

"All it took was the addition of a few rocks to our room," Jushiro said, looking very sad. "I do not think Captain Kurotsuchi and I will be working together again any time soon. You did not mess up a kido, Nemu. The reason you are pregnant is because an agent of Aizen planted sekiseki in our room. Kurotsuchi believes that is reason enough to force you to terminate it even if you continue to object. I will not allow him to make that decision for you. He believes he can persuade General Yamamoto to his way of thinking. I am afraid the General has never been very comfortable with your existence and may side with him. That makes no difference to me. As far as I am concerned neither of them have any say in this, however you may have to step down from your position to be able to refuse."

"I could quit?" Nemu said in surprise. Such an idea had never occurred to her. She had been created as the Lieutenant of the Twelfth. It was the only identity she had ever had.

"Any pregnant shinigami can choose to resign. Kurotsuchi does not own you, Nemu. You are your own person with your own will. This is your decision. Do you want this baby?"

Nemu stared back at him. It still surprised her sometimes, the way he would leave decisions, even important ones, up to her. Before, her father had made all of her decisions, even so far as telling her what she liked and did not like, and she had never questioned him. If her almost instant attraction to Jushiro had not amused him he could easily have told her to think no more about him, and she would have obeyed.

Jushiro could easily have taken her father's place, ordering her life outside work as completely as her father had, but that wasn't who he was. He had never wanted to own her. He simply wanted to walk beside her, sharing her joy as she discovered the world beyond the Twelfth and her self beyond Lieutenant Kurotsuchi.

Now her life was her own, but there were still times she wasn't altogether sure what she wanted to do with it. She had only discovered she was pregnant two days before when she had run a routine pre-mission health check, only two weeks pregnant, and her father had ordered her to dispose of it--but she couldn't, not Jushiro's child.

It wasn't until she was walking with Yuki the day before that she had realized it would also be her child. That was much more worrying. Despite what Jushiro said, Nemu knew she was lacking. What sort of mother could she be when there was so much about being a person that she simply didn't understand? All she could do was the same as she had always done, try her best, learning as much as she could from every available source, and hope that her artificial beginning would not always define her. Her one comfort was that she seemed to share the parental instincts she had observed in others. She had only known of the possibility of its existence for two days but she felt a need to protect it, even if all it was currently was a possibility.

"I want the baby," she said softly, meeting Jushiro's dark eyes with a soft smile. "I want our baby."

In that moment she saw just how hard it had been for him to let her make that choice. Relief and happiness shared equal parts in his smile. "Then we will do what it takes to keep it."

She nodded and stepped closer. "Whatever it takes," she agreed.


	36. Chapter 36

Toshiro had barely stepped out into the hall when he felt Hinamori's reiatsu drop abruptly, almost like a flame being quenched.

He slammed the door open, shattering the lock, and found Hinamori on the floor, unconscious, and with a black feathered dart in her neck.

"Get Unohana! She's been poisoned!" he shouted at the shinigami passing in the hall.

Then he jumped through the window.

He recognized that dart. It had been years since he'd seen it. The Third Seat of the Fifth didn't show his shikai off the battlefield, but decades ago, when Toshiro had still been 'the Lieutenant's kid' passed back and forth between various Fifth Division members who'd gotten stuck with babysitting duty, he'd gotten to watch the Third Seat's officer's test. The darts caused sudden loss of consciousness, eventually leading to coma and death. There had been no antidote at the time.

There'd better be one now, was Toshiro's only thought as he searched the area for the familiar reiatsu.

He was surprised by just how hard it was to locate racing from the Fourth. The man was as fast as any lieutenant and was suppressing his reiatsu as well as any member of the stealth squad. Toshiro had to put more effort than he would have thought possible into following the officer. The faint reiatsu kept blending into the surrounding crowd, but Toshiro had spent the better part of a century playing hide'n'seek with Ichimaru Gin, and all that work was finally paying off.

The man had nearly made the West Gate into Rukongai before Toshiro caught up. He drew Hyorinmaru and sent a wall of ice directly across the fleeing shinigami's path, blocking the gate and curving around to block any other path of escape.

The man stopped abruptly only feet from the soaring wall of ice and calmly turned to face his pursuer.

Third Seat Nakajima Yukie was an impressively unremarkable-looking man. He was the sort of man you could pass a thousand times and never notice. He was of average height and average build. His face was neither attractive nor in any way unattractive. He looked exactly like everyone else; even his reiatsu blended into the crowd because it was so much like everyone else's. His very ordinaryness made him almost invisible in a crowd. He must have been a very useful servant for Aizen.

Now he was alone. He no longer had any chance of disappearing. There was no way he could escape. He had no choice but to face the captain who had chased him down, but he showed no fear. As always, Nakajima was a proud man.

His zanpakuto was still in shikai, a small crossbow strapped to his right forearm, and he turned another black dart in his hand as he calmly faced Toshiro.

Toshiro approached carefully with Hyorinmaru still raised. He could not begin to guess what tricks Aizen might have taught the man.

Nakajima frowned. "What a shame. Of all people, it's the Ichimaru baby who finally discovered me," he said. Even his voice was unremarkable. "If only I were stronger! What a great final act that would be for Aizen-sama! To take down the traitor's son, the very child he traded his loyalty for, but, no, I'm nothing if not a realist. I'm no match for a captain. I'm not going to waste my last moments in futility."

Toshiro took another careful step forward. "Give me the antidote for the poison you used on Hinamori or I'll make sure you die a very slow, painful death," he said through gritted teeth. He wanted to tear the man limb from limb; only the thought of an antidote was stopping him.

"Antidote?" Nakajima repeated in surprise. "Why would there be an antidote? I've never shot anything I didn't intend to kill."

"Why Hinamori?" Toshiro demanded. "She loved your 'Aizen-sama'. She wasn't going to betray him."

"She was such a weak little thing," Nakajima answered. "She would break so easily. She was useful for Aizen-sama. No one wanted to suspect such a good-hearted girl, Ichimaru's opposite in every way, and so easily manipulated. It was such a simple thing to convince her Yoruichi was an enemy to Seireitei, and why would Yoruichi keep her guard up around such a helpless little girl? She easily administered a drug to Yoruichi and to Tosen's foolish lieutenant, wasn't he the perfect scapegoat? And her kido was absolutely necessary to restrain Yoruichi; nothing less than a kido master would do for that. Aizen trained her perfectly to play her part. But, poor little Hinamori, she isn't strong enough to save for any other purpose. The failed asset must be discarded.

"But there I made my mistake, didn't I? Forgetting you knew my shikai was a small mistake, but I could have dealt with it well enough, having already carefully crafted my alibi in case someone showed the dart to Ichimaru, but you spotted me, and that I didn't expect. I admit it; I underestimated you.

"How were you able to follow me? No one ever has before. It's my gift, blending in. Aizen-sama thought it was very impressive. He encouraged me to perfect it. I can go almost anywhere now, and nobody notices. I'm just another one of the crowd."

"You're a traitor and a murderer," Toshiro answered, barely able to keep his fury under control. "And we are going to make you tell us everything you know about 'Aizen-sama' and his agents."

"No," the Third Seat answered, "You're not." The dart in his hand pricked his thumb, and he fell to the ground.

"No!" Toshiro shouted, running to the fallen man. He kicked the dart away and turned the man over, searching through his clothes as quickly as he could. "Come on, damn you! No one's stupid enough to handle a poison they can't cure! Come on!"

"There's no cure, Shiro," a voice said from just a step behind him.

Toshiro ignored his father and kept searching. "There has to be a cure! You goddamned bastard, what have you done with it?"

"It was a matter of pride for him," Gin said. "Only the strongest poisons have no cure."

Toshiro stilled. Nakajima's unconscious form mocked him. He was still alive, but Toshiro could not hurt him. He wanted to beat the man to death, but what would that accomplish? The bastard wouldn't even feel it. He had escaped. Even lying here at Toshiro's feet, he was free.

"Then Hinamori?" Toshiro said softly.

"It's only a Third Seat's shikai. Unohana's pretty impressive. I wouldn't give up as long as she's breathing."

Toshiro nodded.

Gin bent and grabbed ahold of Nakajima's collar, lifting him carelessly. "Never liked Nakajima, always on about how superior he was." He started walking, letting the man's hands and legs drag on the pavement. "Think he was a Kuchiki or a Shihoin, some sort of better than the rest of us. Do me a favor, Shiro, don't marry a noble; don't think I could stomach being related to one, even an Ukitake."

Beside him Toshiro's eyes narrowed. "I told you before, I'm never getting married."

"That's right. Always insist on taking care of the kido for her then," Gin said pleasantly. Then, when he didn't get a response, he added, "And sekiseki, keep an eye out for that stuff. It's deadly."

Toshiro still said nothing. They had reached a road and other people were watching them with a combination of fear and awe and were probably trying to hear every word they said just so they could repeat it to their friends later. They really should stop talking. Not that that was possible with his father.

When Gin opened his mouth yet again, Toshiro cut him off. "I don't suppose you could just shut up?"

"Doesn't seem likely. I never have before, no matter how nicely anyone asks, and some people are much better at asking nicely than you are."

Toshiro's eyes narrowed. "You know there's absolutely no chance you're going to die peacefully in your sleep, right?"

Gin smiled pleasantly. "I think any chance of that passed long before you were born. I have dozens of enemies you've never even heard of. You're going to have some very stiff competition if you want to be the one who finally does me in."

"How about you try not to drive me out of my mind, and I join the cause of trying to keep you alive instead?"

Gin made a face. "Doesn't sound worth it," he said, finally.

"You want me to want to kill you?" Toshiro demanded.

"If you can't enjoy your life what's the point of living?"

"Don't you enjoy anything that doesn't involve irritating the hell out of me and everyone else you've ever met?"

Gin paused for a moment and looked down at the unconscious Nakajima; his head was lolling back and the backs of his hands were beginning to show signs of friction burns from being dragged. It was pretty amusing, especially considering how full of himself the man had always been. It really was too bad Nakajima himself couldn't see it. "Nothing comes to mind," Gin said, smiling. "I'll let you know if I think of something."

Soifon and her Punishment Force arrived then to take custody of the 'prisoner', and Gin and Toshiro were informed that General Yamamoto wanted to speak to them immediately. Toshiro was grateful for the interruption.


	37. Chapter 37

Nanao and Aiko both looked up at the sound of a heavy knock on the front door. Aiko dropped the puzzle piece she'd been trying, unsuccessfully, to jam into the wooden puzzle upside down, and ran to the front door, pulling it open with a joyous, "It's Jiji!"

Nanao, who'd been dragging herself to her feet, dropped back to the floor without even glancing at the door.

"Hello, my girl!" Kyoraku answered with equal enthusiasm as he scooped up the toddler. "And how are you doing today?"

"Mama's no fun. Will you play with me now?" Aiko answered.

"You didn't need to come check on us, Captain," Nanao said as she started cleaning up scattered puzzle pieces. "We're quite alright."

"Didn't come to check on you," Kyoraku answered. "Came by to pick up Ai-chan since Iwatani-ba-san is making ice cream, and I thought while I was at it I'd drop something off that might cheer you up."

"You think drinking is the solution to everything, but sometimes--" Nanao broke off as someone stepped up beside her, and she raised her head. A choked gasp escaped her lips.

Shuhei stood beside her, looking down at her with darkly shadowed eyes and a strained smile turning up his lips. "I'm home," he said softly.

Nanao burst into tears. Shuhei sank down beside her and she flung her arms around his neck, sobbing even louder. His arms went around her loosely; his every movement showed a bone-deep exhaustion that was not going to be going away any time soon.

"C'mon, Ai-chan, let's go eat some strawberry ice cream," Kyoraku said loudly. "Then we'll try to catch some fireflies, and after that we can lay on the roof and see if we can see any shooting stars. We'll probably be so busy we won't even be back till tomorrow. Mama and Daddy are just going to have to make do on their own." And with that he shut the door behind him, loudly enough he was sure the pair had heard them leave.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The garden before the Third Division Captain's Residence was dim and shadowy in the twilight, lit only by moonlight and the warm glow of light through rice paper. It was that time just before bed that made the usual outdoor games much more exciting. Kin-chan and Yachiru were tag-teaming Ikkaku, taking swipes at him with wooden swords, while Yumichika, watching from a comfortable seat on the porch gave advice and encouragement.

"That's it, Kin-chan, go for his knees," Yumichika called out.

"My knees?" Ikkaku demanded, after dodging a swipe to one from behind, as he held back the attacks of the pink haired, miniature lieutenant. "The hell sort of attack is that?"

"He's short. He's got to get you on the ground before he can finish you off--oh, hello, Captains," he added as Gin and Toshiro appeared on the porch.

Toshiro stalked into the house without even glancing at the visitors.

Yumichika raised an eyebrow. "Someone's grown into his title quickly," he said coolly.

Kinta, however, did not seem to have noticed his brother's mood. "Nii-chan!" he shouted, charging toward the porch.

Gin caught him as he rushed by and turned to Ikkaku. "I need to talk to Ran, Think you can watch this thing for another five minutes?"

Ikkaku shrugged and caught Yachiru by the collar as she jumped up to take a swing at his head. "No problem, but that baby of yours only stopped crying about five minutes ago. It's your neck if you wake her."

GIn nodded. "It's important," he said and followed Toshiro into the house.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Gin was not surprised to find Rangiku half asleep with one hand resting on their sleeping daughter's back.

As he pulled the door open she whispered, "Shh," without opening her eyes.

"Ran," he whispered, dropping down onto the futon next to her.

"Shh," she whispered again and patted the baby's back. "Shh."

Gin caught hold of her wrist and slowly pulled her away from the baby. "C'mon, Ran," he whispered. "We gotta talk."

Rangiku blinked drowsy eyes at him. "Not tonight, I'm tired," she murmured, before closing her eyes once more.

Gin sighed. Considering the stress of the day, the news that was constantly changing, being switched back and forth between various guards, and taking care of two impossible children, she probably was exhausted, but she wasn't going to get to sleep anytime soon. "Shiro needs his mother," he said softly.

Rangiku's eyes snapped open and she sat up. Her expression changed instantly from drowsy to high alert. "What do you mean?" she demanded, barely managing to keep her voice at a whisper.

"C'mon," he said, pulling her to her feet. "I'll explain in the hall."

By the time he finished speaking tears were running down Rangiku's cheeks. Gin forgot, sometimes, how close she was to all the other lieutenants. Unlike the captains with all their massive egos constantly at odds, their lieutenants were nearly all friends. The group of Renji, Kira, and Hinamori had only added to the closeness the lieutenants shared. They often worked cooperatively, leading nearly all the inter-division activities that their captains so disliked, and they got together for drinks fairly often.

Their friendships could probably help to bring all of the divisions together, and in time they could be a major boon to the Gotei. Of course, they were also all young, impulsive and emotional which were all traits Aizen had intended to use to pull the Gotei apart. This incident of Hinamori against Hisagi could just be the beginning.

"Is there any chance--" Rangiku broke off. "Do you think Momo-chan is going to wake up?"

"Unohana wouldn't commit herself one way or another," Gin answered gently. "But it would probably be better for her if she waited until this is over and everyone is in a more forgiving mood."

"Oh," Rangiku gasped. "But she wouldn't have--"

The last time Rangiku had looked this distressed Rukia's life had been in danger. "I can explain the mind games Aizen played with her. I'm sure they will take that into consideration."

Rangiku nodded, looking thoughtful. "Gin, this clears Shuhei-kun, doesn't it?" she asked finally.

Gin shrugged. People hated giving up their pet ideas, but with Hinamori having admitted to Shiro that she had done the attacking, not Lieutenant Hisagi, they no longer had any reason to hold him. Unfortunately, in many minds he was still not completely cleared.

"He's been released to Kyoraku," Gin told her. He did not add that Hisagi had been given a week of 'vacation' during which he would be in the Eighth Division Captain's custody while Soifon's people investigated all of the allegations against him thoroughly. It was probably for the best in the end. He needed to have all shadow of doubt lifted before he was going to be able to manage his division effectively, but in Gin's opinion it was a pretty stupid waste of time and resources. He really wished people would just learn to listen to him.

"Good," Rangiku said, managing a faint smile.

Gin agreed, but not because he cared particularly about Hisagi and Nanao; he was glad to see the General still trusted Kyoraku enough to let him take Hisagi out of jail. He had worried their disagreement about Hisagi's guilt might be enough to damage that trust, and when Yamamoto no longer trusted Kyoraku the Gotei really would be in trouble.

Rangiku looked down the hall toward the boys' room where the light shown through the shoji door. "How is Shiro-chan taking it?" she asked.

"I've been doing my best to distract him, but he didn't seem to appreciate it. On the way home he threatened me with Hyorinmaru," Gin told her.

Rangiku smiled faintly. "I'll go talk to him."


	38. Chapter 38

"Shiro-chan?' Rangiku said gently as she pulled open the door.

"I'm fine," Toshiro said, not looking up from a heavy book on his desk.

"Well, I'm not," Rangiku said. "So maybe you could help me."

Toshiro finally raised his head, giving his mother a look of confusion and surprise. "Why're you upset?"

"Why?" Rangiku repeated as she came inside and sat down on Kin-chan's bunk. "This morning three of my very closest friends were involved in a fight to the death, and, from what I'm told, if Kira hadn't shown up when he did Shuhei-kun might have died while Nanao was busy killing Momo-chan. That alone was enough to send me straight to the sake, but then everyone was sure poor Shuhei was a traitor, only that was wrong because you found out Momo-chan had attacked him and not the other way around, and now Momo-chan may die because the Fifth Division Third Seat was the real traitor, and he poisoned her before he poisoned himself. Every one of those people, including Nakajima, are friends of mine--and I can't do anything for any of them, because I'm stuck here! I don't think I have any idea where to start to explain how upset I am."

"Oh," Toshiro said, looking away. "I think Ise and Hisagi will be alright, anyway."

"What about Momo-chan?" Rangiku asked.

"Kira's guarding her now; he talked Dad into letting him, in case she does know something and another of Aizen's people decides to finish her off," he said. Then his expression grew hard, almost angry. "Kira will protect her. No matter what. He doesn't even care what she did. He doesn't even care that she chose Aizen over him--why are people so stupid? They love people who don't love them, and they'll do anything for them, even when the people they love don't even care."

Rangiku smiled sadly at her oldest son. So this was how his first crush would end, disillusioned by the mistakes of the once perfect-seeming Hinamori. "I'm afraid most of us are pretty stupid most of the time, Shiro-chan, and even the smartest people can get pretty stupid when it comes to love. Even you might someday."

"No," Toshiro said. "I'm not going to let myself fall in love with anyone. What's the point? Even if it doesn't make you stupid it makes you weak."

Rangiku frowned. Stupid or weak: that was hard to argue with. She and Gin both qualified as stupid, and Hinamori and Kira were probably both weak in Toshiro's eyes. "I think Renji's showing more strength than any of us knew he had, taking care of Rukia like he has been."

Toshiro stared at her for a moment. "Vulnerable then," he said. "Hurting Rukia has pretty much taken Abarai out, too. I saw him this morning. He doesn't even care about his work anymore. He was just going to do what he was told till he could go back to her. And Dad, he'd do anything for you. It's worse than stupid; it's dangerous. Yamamoto's right; captains shouldn't fall in love, and they shouldn't get married. It's too risky for the Gotei."

"What about Captain Ukitake?" Rangiku argued. "You can't say that about him and Nemu. She helps him and makes him stronger."

Toshiro rolled his eyes. "Ukitake's different."

"How?"

"I don't know. He just is. I don't even know why I'm arguing about this with you. It doesn't matter anyway. I'm just tired of everybody being so stupid about everything. We have a real problem with Aizen, and maybe Hinamori was the only person who was so stupid she was helping him because she couldn't believe he was actually bad, but no one else seems to be taking it seriously enough anyway. Maybe she would have realized she was betraying us if we were actually getting ready to fight him. Instead we're just messing around and talking about getting Kurotsuchi some toys to play with; why can't we just do something?"

"What do you want to do?"

"I want to kill him! I want to make him pay for what he did to Hinamori! He made her a traitor, and he doesn't even care! Even if she lives, they may put her in prison for what she did for him! What she did for stupid love! I am going to make sure he pays for that."

"I know he will," Rangiku said. "We are going to defeat him, and he's going to pay for everything he's done. But Shiro-chan, don't lose yourself to hate. Hate makes people just as stupid as love does, but it doesn't make them kinder like love can. It makes them cruel. You can't let hating Aizen be what drives you. Fight to protect your family, your friends, fight for all of Soul Society, but don't make it about hate. Please."

For a moment Toshiro was quiet. Then he looked away. "That's not what I meant," he said, clearly covering, but not wanting to admit she might be right. "Of course I'm fighting to protect everyone. It's the reason I became a captain. I'm going to protect you and Kin-chan and Yuki, and I'll even keep Dad safe for you. I know that's what's important. Aizen has to be stopped because nobody's going to be safe until he is."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Much later, when Yuki was enjoying her three am feeding, Rangiku told Gin what Toshiro had said. "I'm worried about him. He's so angry."

"Well, that's on you," Gin answered. "I've never been angry in my life."

"Never?" Rangiku repeated doubtfully.

"Have you ever heard me raise my voice?"

Rangiku frowned. "No, which makes me wonder once again, what the hell did people do to you before we met? No one never gets upset. You have to be hiding it. But just because you can swallow your anger doesn't mean you don't feel it. You were angry at Aizen for hurting me, angry enough you started a lifelong quest to destroy him. I'd say of the two of us you are definitely the one with anger issues."

Gin was quiet for a moment. Then he said, "It wasn't anger."

"Then what was it?"

"Hate."

"Whatever. You can't let it take over Shiro-chan's life like it did yours."

"It won't."

"How can you be so sure?"

"One way or another this is all going to be over by next year."

Rangiku froze. Gin had been doing a very good job hiding his fear since Rukia's return. He had buried the panic and fear and despair so deep Rangiku had almost believed it was gone. She had almost convinced herself that Gin had finally accepted that they could do this, but just now she heard it again in that soft and empty tone.

"We're going to be ok," she said softly.

"I know," Gin agreed, and he reached one arm around her and the baby.

His tone was so empty and hopeless it made Rangiku's heart ache, and she wondered, Aizen had made Hinamori his loyal servant, using little lies to slowly transform her to the point where she could no longer question him, and while Gin might have been too aware of what Aizen was for that, was it possible Aizen had somehow used his lies to convince Gin he was unbeatable? Or maybe it was deeper than that. Rangiku had known people who had suffered so much when they were children that they really couldn't believe in things working out; they always expected the rug to be pulled out from under them. They didn't believe in happiness, at least not for themselves. Maybe Gin was one of those people. Whatever the case was, she wasn't going to give up, and she wasn't going to let him either.

"Everything is going to be alright," she whispered. Maybe her confidence could be enough for the both of them.


	39. Chapter 39

Thirteen Days after Aizen's Escape

Zaraki Kenpachi frowned as he looked down at his three top officers sharing a mid-morning snack. Yumichika was setting out the tea tray with all the grace and dignity of some sort of noble while Yachiru bounced up and down, exclaiming excitedly over the strawberry jam Yumichika had gotten her, and Ikkaku was yawning and complaining about his nap being interrupted. They were a strange bunch, even he could see that, but it worked, and he was very much of the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' mentality, but then nobody really gave a damn what he thought.

"The higher up's want one of you two to test for lieutenant," he said shortly.

"The hell I wanna be a lieutenant for?" Ikkaku demanded.

And Yumichika followed with, "I'm only a Fifth Seat. They could hardly expect me to pass."

"You beat up Hisagi, didn't you?" Ikkaku pointed out.

"It doesn't make me qualified," Yumichika answered and raised a teacup to his lips.

Kenpachi looked back and forth between the two of them, judging their relative talents and value to the division. "They need somebody to run the Fifth since Hinamori's out and their Third Seat went batshit for Aizen. They can't trust nobody in the division so they need someone else good enough to make lieutenant. We're the ones with extra captain class officers so we get to volunteer. Yumichika, you do it," he said, finally. "I need Ikkaku here."

Yumichika's mouth fell open, and he stared at his captain like he'd just been deeply insulted. "I do all of the paperwork and requisition all of the division supplies, and balance the budget and--"

"Yeah, but we can make people do that when they screw up, an hour in the office if you lose a match or something. That should probably cover it," Kenpachi said with a great air of thinking it over. "Why the hell don't you wanna be a lieutenant anyway? The hell's with you two? No ambition at all."

"I'm here to fight," Yumichika answered. "Why would I want to leave the Eleventh for the Fifth? Everyone knows they're just a bunch of precious little kido lovers who don't want to get their hands dirty."

"You'll fit in perfectly!" Ikkaku declared, slapping Yumichika on the back. "Finally have someone to talk hair products with."

Yumichika just glared at him.

"But I don't want Yu-yu to leave!" Yachiru declared loudly. "Why do we have to give up our Yu-yu? Why can't somebody else do it?"

"Ain't nobody else available," Kenpachi said. "Bout everybody else's stretched to their limits. Most of the lieutenants are running double duty at the moment and taking turns guarding Ichimaru's woman on top of that. Nobody gives a rat's ass if you'd rather keep your playmates here, they got a duty to the Gotei."

Then he turned his gaze back to Yumichika. "You go on down to the First and you knock their test outta the water. If you don't I'll knock your head clean off. I'm not gonna have anyone thinking my Fifth Seat's weak."

Yumichika flinched slightly at Kenpachi's words. "Yes, sir."

\--

Ayasegawa Yumichika glared darkly at his reflection in the full length mirror. That was not an expression his reflection usually received, but his appearance was not usually marred by an ugly white strap tying a wooden plaque to his upper left arm. The lieutenant's badge was really spoiling the entire effect, and worse than that it was proof that despite his best efforts he had finally lost his place in the Eleventh.

The test administrators had been a little too interested in his shikai for comfort, too. Sasakibe, the lieutenant of the First, had suggested his shikai was incomplete, and that alone might disqualify him from becoming a lieutenant, and for a moment Yumichika had felt hopeful, but Captain Ukitake had turned his dark eyes to Yumichika and after a long moment considering the Fifth Seat, said, "I see no reason Ayasegawa Yumichika should not advance to the rank of lieutenant. He has more than adequate reiatsu; his skill in kido, kenpo, and shunpo are all at or exceeding the required levels. He is not the first shinigami to clash with his own zanpakuto. The conflict between shinigami and zanpakuto is a conflict within oneself, and can only be resolved through a complete acceptance of every part of one's own character. This acceptance is key in achieving bankai, however it is not expected of anyone below the rank of captain. As long as Ayasegawa does not allow his conflict with his zanpakuto to affect his ability to perform his duties, and I see no evidence that it has, then it is no one's business but his own."

Sasakebi had mumbled his agreement, and Captain Ukitake had congratulated Yumichika on his success, and Yumichika had done his best to seem appreciative--but he wasn't. He had absolutely no desire to ever spend any time at all in the Fifth, and had grumbled, the entire walk back to the Eleventh, about how incredibly dull the Fifth was going to be.

His frown deepened as he continued to consider the problem. He really hated the way the band looked on his arm. For one thing it messed up the line of the sleeve.

He was just about to take it off and try tying it on his belt when Yachiru and Ikkaku appeared behind him.

"Stupid Yu-yu," Yachiru declared. "Can't even fail a stupid test!"

"Don't start thinking that stupid badge means you can take me," Ikkaku told him.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Yumichika answered.

"Damnit," Ikkaku added. "Who're you gonna have watch your back now? The Fifth's weak as hell without even Hinamori. First time you're in a fight with more than one hollow you're gonna be in serious trouble."

Yumichika frowned. He was already plenty aware of that without Ikkaku pointing it out. The Fifth had lost its top three officers and the next two were on 'administrative leave' while their connections to Aizen were investigated. He'd been informed he'd probably be losing the Fifth but possibly not the Fourth, and a number of other members of the division were also going to be investigated, so that was just great. Who wouldn't want to be put in charge of a disintegrating division? Next time he went to a sakaya he was going to be competing with Hisagi to see who could pickle their liver first.

"It's just more for me to kill," he said, aloud. "You're always taking more than your fair share anyway."

"That so?" Ikkaku demanded.

"Yes," Yumichika answered coolly. "And it's about time I did more than sit around watching you fight. I do have skills of my own, you know. The test proves that much, at least."

"Sure it does. What do I care anyway? Go get yourself killed. Have fun," Ikkaku stomped off.

Yachiru glomped onto Yumichika and burst into tears. "We're gonna miss you so much!" she wailed.


	40. Chapter 40

Captain Ukitake had been fairly certain why he had been asked to oversee Ayasegawa's Lieutenant Exam; of course he would join Yamamoto for a mid morning cup of tea afterward. There was no reason for him to suspect any ulterior motive in the invite. It had been their tradition for centuries: simply to give him a chance to rest, he had joined the General for a cup of tea nearly every time he visited the First. There was no reason to expect anything out of the ordinary, but he had still had to force himself to accept the invitation.

Even knowing, the moment Ukitake was shown into Yamamoto's private sitting room, he nearly turned around. Kurotsuchi was sitting near the fire speaking to the ancient general. The real reason for the invite was obvious, and, for once, he was not willing to play the part of a diplomat.

"I will not discuss Nemu as though she is a thing to be commanded," Ukitake said, meeting Yamamoto's eyes with an uncompromising gaze. "She is a lieutenant of the Gotei, and she is pregnant; what she chooses to do about that is not the right of one man here to decide."

Kurotsuchi scoffed at that. "You know as well as I that she will do exactly what you tell her. There's no point in trying to reason with her; she is all 'Shiro-chan says this' and 'Shiro-chan says that'. And now you've told her it's her right to decide--who do you think has been in charge of her care since the day of her creation? I decide what is right for her. She was created for a purpose, and your nonsense has distracted her from that purpose, convinced her that she is real--"

"She is real!" Ukitake snapped back. "However she was created, her mind and her soul are her own. If anyone wanted to argue otherwise they should not have given her the rights and responsibilities of a 'real' person."

"Her position as Lieutenant of the Twelfth was always conditional, Jushiro," Yamamoto said softly. "You know that."

"Her position as my wife is not," he answered. "Either of you could have objected when she was added to the Ukitake family roll. You did not. Mine may be an insignificant house, but if you intent to try to rob my wife of her rights as lady of that house I will go to the Four Great Houses. I have every confidence they will intervene on her behalf."

Seeing as Shiba Kaien was Ukitake's lieutenant and Kuchiki Byakuya had studied with him in his youth there was almost no chance he was wrong, and Soifon was likely to become interested too when she heard men were trying to bully Nemu. She wasn't much for kids herself, but she was definitely of the opinion that men did too much pushing women around in the Gotei.

"This is Gotei business, not the business of the noble houses," Kurotsuchi protested. "Nemu is my lieutenant. She is absolutely necessary for the upcoming mission. There is no one else who can perform the high level calculations quickly enough to adjust the containment unit for every possible variable to maintain its integrity while we bring it back to Soul Society. In my opinion this pregnancy is nothing more than sabotage by the enemy. When you discover sabotage you repair it. It is as simple as that."

"You are right; it is simple," Ukitake answered. "Nemu wants the baby. No one is going to take it from her."

Kurotsuchi rolled his eyes. "You see why I brought this to you?" he said to Yamamoto. "The man is completely impossible to reason with. He will not listen."

"Jushiro," Yamamoto said. "I know what this means to you, a child after all these years, but there will still be time for that. Aizen is threatening the very fabric of reality, and we must all do whatever is necessary to stop him. Byakuya and Zaraki have agreed to go to Hueco Mundo with Kurotsuchi to capture an Arrancar for study, but to contain it safely requires Nemu. If she does not go with them the risk of mission failure increases. Someone could die because of your choice, Jushiro. Could you live with that? What if it is Byakuya? You have known him all his life."

Ukitake smiled. "Tell them of the change in plans and tell them why. If Zaraki or Byakuya-kun or any others assigned to the mission are afraid to go, tell them I will gladly take their place."

"Don't be ridiculous," Kurotsuchi muttered.

"I believe I am still a captain," Ukitake said. "And if Aizen notices your mission I might be more useful than either of them. Byakuya has already failed against Aizen once."

"You know no one will accept your offer," Yamamoto said in irritation. "They'd be insulted to even hear it. They are foolhardy, every last one of them, and would never admit fear, even in the face of certain death, but it is my duty to do what I can to ensure their safety."

"And this time it is out of your hands," Ukitake said. "I'm sorry, General, but this conversation is over. I will do my best to forget it ever occured."

"Jushiro!"

"We both know that if it had been any other woman, the suggestion would never have been made. I think I will find it hard to forgive the fact that you believe Nemu to be less than a person, and I wonder what status our child will have in this Gotei of yours. If Ichimaru Gin feared his son, born of two parents whose rights you respect, would be in danger of abuse by the Gotei, what should I fear?"

He turned and walked swiftly away, ignoring the general's calls. He'd had enough, and in any case he felt an attack coming on, and he did not want to collapse here. He drew together enough reiatsu to shunpo away from the division and vanished.


	41. Chapter 4-

Rangiku was pretty sure she was going to lose her mind. Convincing Kin-chan to play within sight of the Third Division captain's office was getting tougher every day. He had investigated everything of interest in the office and was constantly attempting to wander further afield, and now she couldn't send Kira to follow after him as Kira had attached himself to the unconscious Hinamori's side.

So the whole family had to stay within Gin's sight, and it was hard not to notice that Gin did not particularly want the company of a crying baby or an ever-questioning child. It wasn't like he was big on work, but he had been out for a week and the stacks of paperwork on his desk were staggering.

And Rangiku herself desperately wanted to get out of the division. Absolutely everything seemed to be happening now that she was stuck. She needed to go check on her friends. She needed to sit with Kira for an hour or two by Hinamori's side so he would know he wasn't alone in his need to see her recover. She needed to visit Rukia and Renji and even Byakuya, if only to give him someone to take his misery out on. And most importantly, she needed to check on Nanao and Shuhei, to let them know she was here for them if they needed anything at all. She needed to get out!!!

But instead she was stuck in the Third, eating a lunch the division members had been kind enough to bring her family from the division kitchen and wondering how long it was going to be until Gin actually lost his temper with Kin-chan. He was right that she'd never seen him lose his temper, but his usual methods of dealing with annoyances weren't effective on Kin-chan. Backhanded insults went over his head, and he laughed at the more direct ones. Gin couldn't even seem to come up with a threat the boy cared about.

It was interesting in a way; by this age Toshiro had been avoiding his father any way he could manage it. Kin-chan followed Gin around, sat next to him, and talked to him non-stop. He'd told his mother he liked being able to hang around with another boy since at home it was all girls all the time because Daddy and Niichan were always working.

He was currently telling Gin about his construction project and trying to convince him that what they really needed was a bigger shovel because he wasn't making enough progress with his trowel. He'd seen a backhoe in one of Niichan's old picture books from the World of the Living and was sure it would be just the thing.

Gin looked helplessly across the table to Rangiku, but she just smiled and gestured at the baby at her breast. Nursing had to have some sort of upside, and not having to entertain the other children was the best one she could think of.

"I know what you can do, Kin-chan," Gin said, hopping to his feet and leaving his half-eaten meal behind. "It's about time you learned how to read, don't you think?" He grabbed a random book from a shelf, a stack of papers and a pencil. "I'll read you off a sentence and you have to copy it down three times, just exactly like it is in the book, alright?"

"He can't do that," Rangiku protested. Even Shiro-chan had only learned hiragana and katakana by his age. How did Gin expect Kin-chan to copy kanji?

"Yes, I can!" Kin-chan argued.

"You have to do it exactly the same as it is in the book," Gin said.

"I can do that," Kin-chan assured him.

"Alright then, 'The achievement of bankai has long been considered the metric for captain, however there is some reason to believe that this view has limited the shinigami understanding of reiatsu as strength,'" Gin read off as he set the book down in front of Kin-chan.

"What do you think that's going to accomplish?" Rangiku asked as Gin returned to the table and his lunch.

Gin glanced at the golden haired boy bent over the book, examining the first line very seriously. "Ten, maybe fifteen minutes if I'm lucky," he said, smiling back at her. "Now for the mid-day notices; there have been an awful lot of notices lately, have you noticed?"

Rangiku groaned. "Just read them."

He was right, though. There were a lot of notices. On top of the usual daily activity reports and division updates, assignments were being adjusted constantly. Rangiku wondered if it was partly just to keep things unpredictable for any would-be spy. It was certainly keeping things confusing for her. She couldn't keep up with any of it despite the fact that Gin handed over each and every notice as soon as he had read it, including the ones marked 'captains only'.

A grin spread across his face as he read one and he began reading aloud, interrupting Rangiku's efforts at understanding the new wall assignments.

" 'Ayasegawa Yumichika, formerly Fifth Seat of Division Eleven, has passed the lieutenant's exam and has been appointed 'Acting Lieutenant' of the Fifth effective immediately,' I have to say I didn't expect that, did you, Ran?"

Rangiku stared at him for a moment dumbfounded. "Yu-chan is a lieutenant?"

" 'Acting lieutenant', without a Captain to promote him it's only 'acting' and anyway, Hinamori still hasn't officially been stripped of her title. Don't think they've even stripped Aizen or Tosen of theirs; seems like someone ought to get on the ball about that. We really could do with replacements, not that there is anyone since Shiba--"

"I didn't think Yu-chan'd ever leave the Eleventh," Rangiku interrupted, still trying to get over the shock.

"He's a good fit for the Fifth if he can get over the Eleventh," Gin said. "They're actually capable of appreciating his abilities there unlike the brute squad."

"They appreciate him at the Eleventh," Rangiku argued. "He wouldn't be a top officer otherwise. He and Ikkaku are their main strikers. They're at the head of every attack."

"But that's not where Ayasegawa's real talents lie. He's a kido-expert playing first-strike fighter, tells you something about how strong he is that he's managed to survive this long in the Eleventh on his secondary abilities."

Rangiku knew better than to ask Gin how he knew any of that. He always knew, and he was always right. It was strange to think Yumichika might not be what he'd always presented himself as, but not really surprising. He was following Ikkaku. If Ikkaku decided to mine coal, Yumichika would mine coal too, and he'd find a way to look good doing it. That's who he was. Kido-user or sword-fighter didn't matter. He was Ikkaku's partner.

Only now he wasn't. Someone higher up must have given the order. She was certain he wouldn't have decided to test for lieutenant on his own. Maybe Gin was right, and this would be a chance for Yumichika to really use his abilities to show what he could do, to really stand on his own and impress everyone. Maybe that would be enough to make up for not being by Ikkaku's side every day; Rangiku doubted it.

"I wish I could help them celebrate," Rangiku said wistfully. Even if Yumichika wasn't thrilled, she had no doubt Ikkaku would throw a bash to congratulate Yumichika on his promotion.

She wished she hadn't said anything though because she saw how Gin flinched. It was, after all, his fault she was under house arrest or "protection " as the guards themselves prefered to call it. "Not that the mother of a five-week-old needs to go out drinking anyway," she added quickly. "Kinda sad that I have to be forced to be a good mom, but there you go."

"Ran, that's not--"

"Better read the rest of your notices before Kin-chan finishes."

Gin frowned at her for a second before he picked up the next scroll.

The grin returned only a line in, and he handed the letter across to Rangiku. "You get one guess why, and if you get it I'll tell Ikkaku to have his party at our house and I'll pay for the sake."

Rangiku looked from Gin to the letter and back. "Why?" she repeated. She could not imagine what was so big and so amusing and so unbelievable that Gin was willing to bet she couldn't explain it.

"Why," he agreed.

Her attention returned to the letter. It was very simple. It stated that Lady Ukitake Nemu had resigned her position as lieutenant of the Twelfth. Rangiku stared at it. Nemu had resigned. That wasn't possible. Sure, Miyako had resigned, but her husband was head of the Shiba house so who was going to object, and, anyway, things were different for nobles. Of course, Captain Ukitake was a noble, but Nemu wasn't, not really, and hadn't she been constructed to be the lieutenant of the Twelfth? It was all she was, and as far as Rangiku could tell Nemu really did love it. Miyako had loved her work too, but she had quit, Rangiku now understood, so that she would be in the relative safety of the Shiba Estate, and Kaien could follow the clues Gin had given him without having to fear he would be exposing her to greater danger. She had quit for her husband, but Nemu wouldn't do something like that. For one thing Captain Ukitake would never want her too. According to Nemu the one thing he was really afraid of was stealing her life from her. He didn't want himself or especially his illness to prevent her from enjoying every day of her life to the fullest. So why on earth would she resign?

Rangiku raised her eyes to Gin. He was still grinning happily. He was so certain there was no way she could guess. She had seen Nemu just the day before, and the day before that Nemu had broken Gin's nose. Had anything seemed at all out of the ordinary--for Nemu, anyway?

All she'd done was walked Yuki around and asked Rangiku questions about the baby--

A huge smile spread across Rangiku's face.

Gin's faded. "There's no way--" he said.

"Nemu's pregnant!" Rangiku burst out.

"That's not fair! How could you possibly figure that out?" Gin demanded.

"But why would she resign?" Rangiku demanded. "They've made RD much safer than it used to be, and Unohana's reishi shields are strong enough to protect the baby. There's no reason she can't keep doing everything she's always done."

"Kurotsuchi disagrees, looks like," Gin said.

"But there are rules about that. You can't just fire a woman for getting pregnant--not a married one, anyway," she added, remembering her own long-ago fears.

"Nemu's position is not like other shinigami; you know she's not exactly--natural. She's basically one of Kurotsuchi's experiments, and she had no defined status. I've a feeling she wouldn't be keeping the baby if she was married to a man who was less important than Ukitake Jushiro."

"But that's horrible!" Rangiku protested.

"Best not to think about it," Gin suggested.

"I can't believe that they would let Kurotsuchi--we should do something! It shouldn't be allowed!"

"I offered, but Captain Ukitake assured me he could handle Kurotsuchi. Really, Ran, it's not our problem, and they don't need our help. Let Captain Ukitake protect his family. Isn't that why you and Miyako thought Nemu would be perfect for him? He can protect her from her father."

"I know, but..." Rangiku sighed. Then she remembered why she'd guessed it in the first place. "You said we'd throw a party," she said. "And you'd pay for the sake."

"I wasn't serious."

"Oh, yes, you were. It's the only way I get to help celebrate. I'll call Shiro-chan home, and you can go get everything arranged with Ikkaku and Kenpachi. You'd better invite all the lieutenants, and that includes Nemu, and invite Captain Ukitake; I just have to congratulate him! And you two can play Go or something while the rest of us drink. You'd better get enough sake! The worst thing you can possibly do at a party is run out of sake. You think people make a mess at parties? Well, you should see them if the sake runs out. It's not pretty, so don't try to be cheap. Just let Ikkaku tell you what to get. I can't believe we're finally having a real party!"

"Ran, you can't seriously think this is a good idea. The entire city's already on high alert. Do you really think we need all of our lieutenants to get completely smashed and--"

"Daddy!" Kin-chan said loudly enough that his parents finally noticed him standing at Gin's elbow.

"Oh, hello, Kin-chan," Gin said, pleasantly. "What's up? You get stuck?"

"Nope," Kin-chan answered. "I'm done. I need you to read the next sentence so I can learn to read all those words too."

Gin turned and really looked at him. The boy was holding up a sheet of paper covered with very poorly written, but somehow still complete, kanji and hiragana. It was the sentence he had read copied off three times just as instructed.

"That's nice work, Kin-chan. Do you remember what it says?"

When Kin-chan recited the complicated sentence exactly Gin blinked. He pointed at one of the more complicated kanji. "Do you know what this one says?"

"That's achievement. I like these picture words a lot better than the squiggly letters in my picture books. They take a lot less time to read."

"You can read the hiragana in your picture books?" Rangiku asked.

Kin-chan gave her a look like she was being silly. "Anybody can read those 'cept Ai-chan, but she's just a baby."

"Of course," Rangiku agreed, feeling more than a little stunned.

She watched Gin read off the next sentence to Kin-chan, and then watched the little boy return to his corner with pencil and paper. "Two geniuses?" she said softly.

"The shunpo did point that direction."

"What if Yuki--" Rangiku asked, looking down at the baby now asleep in her arms.

"We're going to be seriously outnumbered."


	42. Chapter 42

Gin smiled pleasantly at the guards at the Eleventh Division gate. They always did look like they wanted to challenge him, but they never had. Usually one or another of them ran off to fetch whatever senior officer they could locate. It wasn't actually a procedure that was limited to the Eleventh. Most division guards seemed to be pretty sure if he dropped by he must be up to no good. Only the Fifth and the Tenth would wave him through without suspicion. He'd considered trying to explain that if he was really up to something he was hardly likely to walk in the front door, but that seemed likely to cause more problems than it solved.

So he stood in the front courtyard smiling at any Eleventh Division members he happened to notice and waited for Ikkaku to appear.

After a few minutes he heard the rumbling that was Kenpachi approaching. He had heard the man could move silently if he wanted to, but in Gin's experience Kenpachi seemed to charge through the Gotei like an angry rhino. Most people were wise enough to get out of the way, but those who didn't were tossed aside like so much debris.

Gin was not surprised to see Yachiru on the giant's left shoulder or Ikkaku and the ex-Fifth Seat flanking his right. Those four seemed to approach everything like a possible fight or at least like they were hoping for a fight.

Gin smiled pleasantly; it was always best to make it perfectly clear he wasn't looking for a fight. "Hello."

"Ichimaru, what are you doing here?" Kenpachi demanded.

"Rangiku and I heard your Fifth Seat was promoted. We wanted to offer our congratulations," he said, still smiling.

"That sure is nice of you," Kenpachi said, looking suspicious.

"Well, that's Ran for you, always nice. Anyway, it occurred to her that you might be planning a bit of a night out to celebrate, but she wouldn't be able to join you, and, of course, she was terribly disappointed seeing as you're all such good friends. She does so want to welcome Ayasegawa into the lieutenants little family properly," Gin said, then he added, "So I thought, maybe, you might allow us to host."

"What? At the Third?" Ikkaku said in disbelief. "Since when do you host anything?"

"Since tonight if you like the idea," Gin answered. "I've been instructed that I'm to invite all the lieutenants and anyone else Ayasegawa would like and I'm to let you all tell me what food and drinks to buy, so, what do you think?"

Kenpachi laughed out loud. "You lose a bet?" he demanded.

"Yep," Gin agreed.

Kenpachi laughed louder and his officers joined him, but after a minute or two Yachiru turned her strangely sharp gaze to Gin and said, "Fox-face never loses bets."

"You're right," Kenpachi agreed, ceasing his laughter abruptly. "What you up to, Ichimaru?"

"Maybe he wants to give Rangiku-chan a bit of a present," Yumichika suggested.

"Everyone loses a bet occasionally," Gin felt it necessary to point out.

"So," Ikkaku said, ignoring Gin's protest. "That would mean we'd be doing him a favor if we let him host?"

"Oi! How's it a favor to let me spend my savings on your sake?" Gin demanded.

"It does look like you're right," Yumichika agreed. "Not that I mind doing something nice for Rangiku-chan."

"But we ought to get a little something extra out of it, don't you think?" Ikkaku said.

Gin sighed. "What is it you want?"

"I've always wanted to fight you, always wondered if you could really hold your own in a fair fight, without kido or bankai," Ikkaku said, with a huge grin.

Gin's smile was even bigger. "Don't think you could call it a fair fight, a captain against a Third Seat."

"Yeah? Cause I've been thinking, maybe you got where you got through a bunch of dirty tricks and Aizen pulling strings. I'd like to see you prove you earned that title."

Gin's smile didn't flicker in the slightest. It was true; he did have a certain fondness for dirty tricks, but he was more than capable of fighting an opponent head on if necessary. His biggest problem with fighting someone like Ikkaku was the likelihood of bleeding at some point. He really didn't like bleeding, but going for the one hit kill shot clearly wouldn't be appropriate. "I can't guarantee I won't accidentally kill you," he said.

"Wouldn't be any fun if you did," Ikkaku said, hopping down from the porch and drawing his zanpakuto.

"What, now?" Gin said, startled.

"What's wrong with now?" Ikkaku demanded, bringing his zanpakuto hilt to its sheath. "Hozukimaru, grow!" And the simple katana transformed into a naginata.

"Oh, are we doing shikai?" Gin asked. "How nice."

He pulled Shinso as Ikkaku brought the blade crashing down and blocked the blow just above his head with the short-bladed wakizashi. He managed to block a flurry of blows after that, but even if keeping up with Ikkaku didn't require much effort, he hit really hard, and it wasn't much fun to block with a one-handed weapon.

Gin hopped back as quickly as he could. Ikkaku had the advantage of reach over most opponents, but he'd never had to deal with anything like Shinso. Shinso's strikes were more like arrows than a sword's blow, and Ikkaku had to knock each strike aside before it hit.

"Having trouble, Captain?" Ikkaku demanded, when he managed to knock aside every one of Gin's shots and closed the distance between them.

"Just a touch," Gin answered, still smiling. "I'm trying to think where I might aim if I don't want to worry about killing you. I know you said it's fine, but I'd have to fight Ayasegawa and then Zaraki, and I really don't want to spend the rest of the day hiding."

Ikkaku sneered back at him. "I promise you won't have to worry about them. Split!"

Hozukimaru obeyed his command, swinging at the back of Gin's head, and Gin barely managed to dodge in time. The blade of the spear cut a thin line across his forehead.

"Oops, forgot about that," he said sheepishly as blood began to well up from the slice. "That's my bad."

He turned back to Ikkaku, and suddenly the Third Seat found himself blocking desperately as Shinso lashed out again and again. One unexpected strike slashed through his achilles tendon and Ikkaku found himself on one knee when his ankle abruptly gave out.

"The hell!" Ikkaku snarled as Gin stood back, stopping his attacks to watch his opponent, grinning hugely.

"Think that's enough to beat me?" Ikkaku demanded, using Hozukimaru to pull himself back to his feet.

Gin sent another jab at him, just to test, but Ikkaku easily blocked it. "Really?" Gin sighed. "You know you've lost; it's just a matter of time now—and blood—what's the point? I really do have--"

Ikkaku slammed into him before he'd finished speaking and managed slash his blade into Gin's upper left arm before Gin knocked him back, and Ikkaku fell to one knee once more. Shinso struck the joint of his left elbow, cutting another tendon and then his wrist, making doubly sure he lost the use of his left hand. Both strikes were faster than Ikkaku could even see, and he was swearing up a storm the moment his arm gave out.

"I was talking," Gin pointed out. "Don't you know it's rude to interrupt?"

"You're always talking," Ikkaku answered, forcing himself back to his feet.

"I don't suppose I can deny that," Gin admitted as he wiped the blood away from his eyes. It was annoying how badly scalp wounds bled.

He sent a couple more careless strikes at Ikkaku, but the Third Seat managed to block even one-handed. "How about this; I'll admit you're an impressive fighter, and you surrender, and we both go to the Fourth and get patched up?"

Ikkaku slammed into him again, but this time Gin was ready for it, and easily blocked the staff wielded one-handed. "I never surrender!" Ikkaku snarled.

Gin hopped back out of range again, this time sending Shinso at Ikkaku in a series of jabs the Third Seat struggled to block. "Do you have any idea how long it takes to bleed out from those sorts of wounds? I really don't have the patience."

Shinso passed through Ikkaku's thigh, severing an artery. Suddenly blood was pouring down his leg. "You bastard!" Ikkaku groaned, as his strength drained out with his blood and he dropped like a stone.

"Somebody'd better call--" Gin began.

But Ayasegawa interrupted. "Lieutenant Kotetsu's already sent someone. I called when the match started."

Gin grinned. "You are a bright one, aren't you?"

"I know how Ikkaku's fights end," the new acting-lieutenant answered. "Healing was bound to be necessary for at least one of you."

Kenpachi chuckled at that. "Someday you'll have to give me a fight, Ichimaru," he said as he gazed down on his fallen Third Seat.

"No, thank you," Gin answered. "Pretty sure that's what they invented shunpo for."

Kenpachi laughed at that. "I'll have to find a way to keep up with you then."

Gin wiped at the blood that was still running from the slash to his forehead. Then as he looked down he frowned. "Oh, there's blood on my new haori!" he complained, noticing a line of bright red drops that had fallen from his eyebrow. "And look how he cut right through my shihakusho when he got my arm--which does hurt, by the way! Why you people think fighting is so much fun is beyond me."

As the mouse-like Yamada appeared on the scene Gin gestured to the fallen warrior. "Best tend to him first. I'm whinier, but he really might bleed out."

Yumichika had hopped down from the porch, and for a second he watched the healer work over Ikkaku. Then he turned back to Gin. "Don't you ever feel the need to test yourself? Practice bouts and slaying the usual hollows is hardly enough to keep your skills sharp."

Gin raised his head and stared at the pretty boy. He had a point. Working with Aizen had always kept him on top form. The occasional pseudo Arrancar would turn on him or maybe some Adjucas would decide it didn't like seeing shinigami in Hueco Mundo; there was always something nasty that needed killing. After this was over, if he did somehow manage to survive, Ayasegawa was right; he would actually have to find people to fight with or he might get rusty. What an odd idea.

He turned to Kenpachi, knowing it was probably the stupidest idea he'd ever had, and said, "If we both survive Aizen I'll give you your fight. Just so long as you understand I'll use every trick I ever learned and cheat like my life depends on it."

Kenpachi's smile grew so wide it stretched from one ear to the other, and he laughed loudly. "Think I like you after all, Ichimaru. I'll still kill you, but I do like you."

Yachiru grinned down at Gin from her perch. "Don't worry, Fox-face, if you're Ken-chan's friend, he'll try not to kill you so he can beat you lots of times."

Gin smiled his fox smile in return, as he wondered what he'd gotten himself into, and he answered, "Well, that's very nice of him, isn't it?"

Ikkaku sat up abruptly and shoved Hana out of the way. "Ready to go buy some sake, Captain Ichimaru?"

Gin sighed. "I suppose I must."

It was only when Gin was walking with the two officers away from the Eleventh that he realized that for the first time ever Ikkaku had not injected a sarcastic edge to the title 'Captain' when he spoke to Gin. The Eleventh were an odd bunch, but Gin thought he might not mind them as much as he thought he did.


	43. Chapter 43

Shiba Kaien raced across the rooftops of Karakura, silently cursing Ichimaru Gin. Of course the bastard would be right about this, not just one but two Arrancar had suddenly appeared in the human city. If they were Aizen's special favorites, the ones Gin had called Espada, Kaien knew he would need Ichigo to have any hope of handling them.

He could sense the substitute shinigami still near his school, but even Ichigo should be able to feel the evil presence of the Arrancar, and Kaien knew, as soon as he did, Ichigo would be racing to join the fight.

As he reached a public park, Kaien watched humans crumple to the ground and felt an unknown power dragging their souls from their bodies, stealing their lives to feed some monstrous Arrancar. Kaien drew his zanpakuto and doubled his speed.

He passed two of Ichigo's friends and shouted at them to stay back. This was no fight they had any hope of helping in. One pseudo Arrancar had killed nine members of his division and would have killed Miyako with them. These were two fully formed Arrancar. He needed more captain-class shinigami, not a couple of fragile humans who'd learned a few tricks.

He broke the cover of the trees as a giant Arrancar complained about the flavor of the souls he had devoured.

"If you do not care for the flavor of human souls maybe a lieutenant of the Gotei is more to your liking," Kaien answered as he began to spin Nejibana. "Surge, Water and Heaven."

The zanpakuto glowed golden as it grew into a spinning trident, a wave of rushing water flowing from both ends. He caught the transformed zanpakuto in both hands and raised it in challenge toward the two Arrancar.

The giant Arrancar had been the one to devour the human souls but the other Kaien recognized from Nanao and Rangiku's description, black hair, a single horn, and green, sad eyes in an empty face, Ulquiorra. According to Gin, he was an Espada and Aizen's favorite errand runner, more controlled than the others, intelligent and deadly. He might seem small and insignificant beside the other, but he was likely the more dangerous.

"Can I eat this one while we wait for the one we're checking on?" Yammy asked, watching Kaien approach.

Ulquiorra looked Kaien over with his strange, empty gaze. "He is Shiba Kaien, the lieutenant of Division Thirteen. Be careful not to underestimate him."

"But I can eat him?" Yammy repeated.

"Yes."

Kaien leapt forward and brought Nejibana down, slashing across Yammy's unprotected chest and knocking him back with a flood of water.

Yammy roared. "That hurt!"

But Kaien was horrified to see the zanpakuto had barely cut into the Arrancar's flesh. "Hado 33: Sokatsui!" he shouted, sending a kido blast straight at Yammy's chest, hoping kido might have more of an effect on the Arrancar.

Again the giant roared, but again the damage seemed only superficial.

Kaien used shunpo to avoid Yammy as he charged forward, and reappeared behind the Arrancar, attacking him once again with Nejibana. Again the strike seemed to do little damage, but the water threw him forward, tossing him into a tree trunk that snapped easily at the impact. The crash of the falling tree was drowned out by Yammy's roar of rage, as he turned to face Kaien once more.

"Damned shinigami! Think you can make a fool of me!" With a roar, Yammy sent a cero straight at Kaien.

Ichigo appeared suddenly, a step ahead of Kaien, with Zangetsu drawn. The blade easily shielded him and Kaien both from the cero, and Ichigo glanced back at Kaien. "Kaien-san, are you alright?"

"So far," Kaien answered. "But I'm pretty sure these are the Espada Ichimaru warned us about. If you think you can handle the big one, I'll take the other--Ulquiorra, isn't it?" he added, turning to the smaller Arrancar."

Ulquiorra stared back at him emotionlessly. "Ichimaru has warned you about us? Did he not tell you to run? No lieutenant could match the strength of an Espada."

"We'll see about that," Kaien answered.

Yammy looked from Ichigo to Ulquiorra. "Is this the one? It's human."

Ulquiorra was stopped from answering by an enormous wave of water rushing out from Nejibana. He dodged by stepping back, and Kaien was there to meet him, swinging his zanpakuto directly into Ulquiorra's path.

The Arrancar dodged smoothly and continued to stare at Kaien with that same only vaguely curious gaze. "Why do you risk your life, shinigami? Why are you willing to die to protect humans? What value could they have for you?"

Kaien followed after him, attacking over and over, but Ulquiorra simply dodged. His speed was equal to any captain, and Kaien was quickly realizing that he could not possibly match the Arrancar, not with the limiter keeping him at a fifth of his strength.

"To protect humanity from monsters like you is the greatest calling of any shinigami," Kaien answered, refusing to show any fear.

Ichigo's cry of "Getsuga Tensho!" Was the only warning before the black half-moon sliced between the two, sending both Kaien and Ulquiorra jumping back out of the way.

Kaien looked back to see Yammy screaming in rage as blood gushed from his missing arm and just beyond him Ichigo was stumbling backwards, fighting to pull what looked like a hollow's mask from his face.

He raced back, just in time to block the blow the furious Arrancar directed at Ichigo. Even through the rushing waves that flowed out like a shield the monster's fist slammed into Kaien with the force of a truck.

He staggered back but managed to stay on his feet, standing guard over Ichigo as the boy continued to fight with his mask.

Yammy raised his fist again, but Ulquiorra set a hand on his shoulder. "Time to go," he said with complete calm, and with the same calm he opened a garganta behind him and pulled Yammy through.

Kaien drew a deep breath as the garganta closed. That had been far too close.

"Why did they leave?" Ichigo asked from the ground behind him.

"I don't know," Kaien answered, but he was worried. The Espada had wanted a look at Ichigo, and they'd left as soon as they'd gotten it. Gin was right about Aizen's obsession with Ichigo, and that worried him, as did the hollow mask and the black Getsuga. What was this supposed cousin of his really?


	44. Chapter 44

This probably goes on way too long because I was having way too much fun writing it. It's ridiculous and pointless and does nothing to further the plot, but maybe you'll enjoy it half as much as I did. I hope so. Otherwise I apologize.*

Gin turned at the sound of familiar laughter. A drunken Captain Kyoraku was not a surprising sight in a sakeya, but Ukitake beside him was looking a little red in the face, and that was definitely unusual.

"Well, well, what have we here?" Gin asked, approaching the pair with a grin.

"Gin-kun," Kyoraku greeted him happily. "How are you?"

"Oh, hello," Ukitake said, wobbling slightly as he turned to look up at Gin.

"Captains," Ikkaku said, coming up behind Gin and setting a hand on his shoulder harder than was really necessary. "Captain Ichimaru, here, would like to invite you both, and your excellent families, to a little party the dear, sweet Ichimaru Rangiku is holding tonight for Yumichika."

"Oh, yeah?" Kyoraku asked, grinning.

Ukitake blinked. "Oh, dear. I'm not sure I'm going to be up for a party. I never should go out with Shun when I'm upset. I always end up drinking, and I'm afraid I've never built up any sort of a tolerance. I've only had a couple of glasses, and I'm afraid I must be drunk."

"You're fine," Kyoraku assured him as he poured the other captain yet another drink. "Why don't you join us, Gin-kun? They say you never really know a man until you've shared a few drinks."

"I'm afraid I'm a bit busy with Rangiku's--"

"He'll be happy to join you," Yumichika interrupted, and Ikkaku pushed Gin toward the seat. "Ikkaku and I can take care of the rest of the details, now that we have the catering set up. All we need to do is track down the lieutenants. It'll be no problem at all for us. You should enjoy some sake with Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake."

Gin could not believe he was actually being pushed into drinking with Kyoraku. He couldn't think of anything less wise, but he could hardly refuse when the senior captain was already handing him a cup of the stuff. All he could do was thank Kyoraku and drink up as instructed.

The captains waved off Ikkaku and Yumichika, and Gin sighed. Once more it really didn't seem fair. He was hosting Yumichika's congratulatory celebration, and spending a small fortune on the sake and catering, and he'd beaten Ikkaku fair and square, which just wasn't right--since when did he fight fair? And he was still getting stuck doing everything he didn't want to do.

"So what is the occasion?" Gin asked, curiously.

"Nemu's kicked me out," Ukitake said miserably.

Kyoraku rolled his eyes. "She sent him out to have some fun. He was all upset and wanted to give Kurotsuchi a piece of his mind, and she didn't think that was a wise idea. I'm distracting him."

"Gin-kun agrees with me," Ukitake said. "That--that--that ass ought to be murdered."

"Gin-kun thinks everybody should be murdered," Kyoraku told him. "You know what your problem is? You still haven't drunk enough." And with that he refilled all three cups.

"I don't think everyone should be murdered," Gin said after he'd finished off the sake. It tasted vile in his opinion, and the only way he could get it down was to drink it fast enough he didn't really have to taste it. Unfortunately, that seemed to have a less than pleasant effect on his head. He doubted he was doing his best thinking, what with the odd way everything in his head seemed to be slipping about, and he ought to simply keep his mouth shut, but he couldn't have people saying he wanted everyone dead. That was a gross overstatement. "But clearly there are some people we could do without. Wouldn't it have been nice if someone had managed to take out Aizen years ago? It's not like no one tried. And the world would definitely be a better place without Kurotsuchi. And, if we're already at it, I think we could lose all the incompetent people and the idiots without anyone really minding. Maybe really irritating people like Kuchiki could go too, and--"

"You know they can't help it," Ukitake interrupted. "There are some people who are going to be stupid no matter how hard they try. The poor things, I feel terribly sorry for them."

"I don't," Kyoraku said. "Unless Gin-kun gets around to killing them off. They always seem terribly happy. Never have to worry if you never bother to think."

"That does sound nice," Gin had to agree. "I might have had a nice normal life with Ran if I'd been just a little less bright."

"Or if we had been more responsible," Ukitake said. "I've always thought it was wrong, making children into soldiers. It's a tragedy, really, what you've been through. It shouldn't have been allowed. And now we have poor little Shiro-chan, a captain, and I couldn't think of one way to stop him. He should have been safe with his mother, not out in the middle of things, trying to face down Aizen--"

"Don't be like that!" Kyoraku interrupted. "I'm supposed to be cheering you up, not letting everyone get even more depressed. You ought to be happy, anyway. Nemu's going to have a baby. You're going to be a daddy! Isn't that wonderful?"

"Is it?" Gin asked. "I've got three, and it's never been good news. You can tell yourself they don't matter. They're just like anyone else, but they're so helpless! And Aizen, he sees it. He always sees it. You can't hide anything from him. He knows he's got me because the kids and Ran--my Rangiku! She's so vulnerable. She'd do anything for those kids. She'd die to protect them. How am I supposed to protect her from that? She stood up to Ulquiorra; she didn't even try to run because she would have had to leave the baby. He could have killed her. He put his hand around her neck." Gin bowed his head to his arms folded on the table. "I can't live without her. I can't. There is no world without her."

"I'm sure a lot of fellows feel that way about their girls," Kyoraku said awkwardly.

Gin shook his head. "They don't matter," Gin said, his voice muffled by his arm. "Only Ran."

"How much did he drink?" Ukitake asked, looking worried.

Kyoraku frowned. "Just two cups?" he said, looking concerned.

"It's fine!" Gin declared, sitting up suddenly and grinning for all he was worth. "It's great! Fantastic, even! Aizen wants to torture the lot of us to death, but that's not going to happen! Why would it? We've got everything we need to handle him! And a good plan! I'm sure we've got a good plan! I really wish someone would tell me what the good plan is because far as I can see we're all going to die."

"You're awful moody when you drink," Kyoraku told him.

"Am I? I wouldn't know. I don't drink. You see I have to stay in complete control all the time. It wouldn't do for people to find out I'm just another man. I have an image to keep up," his smile shifted as he spoke, from manic to the one that tended to send shivers down other people's backs. "Never know, I might just murder someone 'cause I'm bored. Easy to believe, isn't it? I'm not like other people. I don't feel things like they do. Their pain means nothing to me."

"Poor Gin-kun," Ukitake said, shaking his head and throwing off his balance so he had to steady himself against the table. "You can't scare me and Shun, you know. We've been around a long time, seen a lot worse than you."

"Too true," Kyoraku agreed. "We're not easy to scare these days; we've seen evil come and we've seen it go. Even Aizen, he's just another threat to take down, maybe a bit trickier than most, but we've been here too long to doubt the Gotei will triumph, and you, Gin-kun, you're nothing but a pretender. You got the best costume I've ever seen; earned yourself a captain's haori and a smile like the devil himself, had the entire city thinking you'd just as soon slit their throats as say good morning, but underneath you're still just a scared little boy."

"Yeah?" Gin said. "What have I got to be scared of?"

"You said it yourself, Rangiku's your whole world," Kyoraku answered. "You're terrified of losing her. Don't really get that myself. Got plenty of people I care about, people I'd kill for, even die for, but not one I couldn't go on without. Maybe it's because you're so young; you just haven't got any perspective yet. People die, but as long as we're still living we gotta keep fighting for what's right."

"Is that all there is for us?" Ukitake asked, leaning on the table and looking sad. "Fighting and dying? Absolute and unquestioning loyalty, our entire lives given to the Gotei, and our only retirement death. My Nemu may escape, but how many others never will?"

Kyoraku frowned across the table at Ukitake. "I never knew you were such a sad drunk," he said. "You're almost as bad as Nanao-chan. You'd think she'd have told me off plenty, the way she's always after me for one thing or another, but get some alcohol in her and she starts listing off everybody's faults one by one."

"I'm surprised she ever gets past yours," Gin said.

"You should hear the things she has to say about you," Kyoraku said. "And the language--Shuhei-kun's a great boy, but he's taught her words that can make me blush! Funny, isn't it? Ninety-nine percent of the time he's the most polite young man I've ever known, but that last one percent, the Rukongai comes out loud and clear."

"Gin-kun's a bit different, though, isn't he?" Ukitake said, suddenly. "Very well spoken for Rukongai."

Kyoraku's gaze was suddenly so sharp Gin flinched back. "Probably from one of the upper districts, and born here, not a dead soul, eh?"

Gin smiled. "Could be--or I'm from Kyoto, and I'm too stubborn to give up my accent."

Kyoraku shook his head. "Not with that hair--over a century ago, would have been abandoned, would have had to start over here as an infant, and you'd talk like all the other kids from Rukongai. Should have thought about it before. You're not the usual Rukongai street rat, are you?"

Gin poured himself some more sake. "An orphan's an orphan. Doesn't really matter how we lost our family, does it?"

"Of course it matters," Ukitake answered. "But you don't have to talk about it. We understand. No matter how long ago it was some things just hurt too much to share."

Gin laughed at that. "Do they? Or maybe they're simply too boring to bother remembering. Normal family, normal childhood, normal tragedy, but then I met Rangiku and that's when my life began. Probably not something you would understand, but there it is. I never bother to think about what came before."

"You are a very good liar, Gin-kun. I don't doubt you don't think about the time before, but not because it was dull. You were a damaged child; I could see it all too clearly back when you were at the Academy. You were too good a liar and a thief, hid everything you thought or felt, and young as you were, you didn't even flinch at the idea of killing something. That's a child that never had a loving family, has always had to fight to survive; Rukongai makes a lot of kids like that, and most of them don't make it any better here than they did there. 'Course none of them have ever been as strong as you. There aren't many you know will make captain when they're still children. You had the strength, the brains, and the determination, but there haven't been more than two or three others since we went through the Academy. Ukitake's probably right and we should have found some way to make you wait, but what could we do? Once a child has a zanpakuto there's not much stopping him."

Gin shrugged and poured himself some more sake. "Don't feel bad about me. Nobody could've saved me. Been a monster my whole life, least Ran gave me a purpose, and nobody could've stopped Aizen--long as I can take him with me, I'll go to hell happy."

"Happy to go to hell?" Ukitake said. "You mean no price is too high to stop him or to protect her?"

Gin smiled hugely at that. "You all can die to stop him; I'm only dying for Ran. It's a pity she loves the whole lot of you, humanity too. Wish I could convince her none of you are worth it, but then she wouldn't be Ran, would she? Heart's too big, but that's ok, couldn't fit me otherwise."

Gin's smile faded, and he frowned at the empty cup in his hand. "I've always heard you get loose-lipped when you drink, but this is ridiculous--and completely unfair!" He raised his eyes to the two captains. They looked fairly drunk to him, but he wasn't much of a judge at the moment. "I've told you everything about me, and what have you said, nothing!"

"That's not true," Kyoraku argued. "Shiro-chan's told you all about how bad he feels about everything, which is funny, since he's always in such a good mood when he's sober, and you've only said how much you wish Kuchiki and all were dead, which everyone already knows anyway, and that you love your family, which we also already knew, so stop complaining. No secrets have been divulged."

Gin frowned a moment longer. "Do you really think I love my family?" he asked finally.

"Of course you do," Ukitake said, nodding wisely. "That's why Yama-ji doesn't want us to have family. Choosing between loyalty to the Gotei and love of family really isn't much of a competition."

"Well, obviously I love Ran, but the kids, too?"

Kyoraku nodded. "I'm afraid so."

GIn sighed. "You're probably right. It's terribly inconvenient. They put Ran in danger, and I still have to look out for them. Anyone with any sense would get rid of the little parasites." He held out his empty cup to Kyoraku. "Might as well pour me another."

"They can't make her get rid of it even if it is a parasite," Ukitake said abruptly. "It's hers. But she's not even a person to them! She's nothing but a piece of property Kurotsuchi finds useful--but, Shun, how am I any better when the only way I could think to protect her was to call her my property? I told them it would be an issue for the Four Great Houses if they dared harm my wife."

Gin laughed at that. "Oh, if only Kurotsuchi and Kuchiki would fight to the death, wouldn't that be fun to watch? Kuchiki'd do it too, for the honor of the noble houses, been trying for years to think of a way to use that pride of his to get him killed. Think Ran might have convinced him he had a duty to Rukia in the end, but he got knocked out of the fight before he could make up his mind to act, and, of course, Aizen didn't think it was the right time to kill him. Really was a pity."

"What do you have against poor Byakuya-kun, anyway?" Kyoraku asked.

"Don't like the way he looks at Ran," Gin answered honestly.

Both of the other captains looked confused. "I would have thought Byakuya-kun would irritate you less than other men on that account," Ukitake said finally. "At least he doesn't spend his time staring at her chest." He gave Kyoraku a pointed look.

Kyoraku protested. "Rangiku-chan is a lovely girl. We all like her immensely. There's nothing wrong with that."

"Ran likes men watching her; it makes her feel attractive. Why should I mind?" Gin asked. "But Kuchiki looks at her like she's something nasty he found stuck to the bottom of his shoe. Nobody should look at my Ran like that, like he could snuff her out with as little thought as you'd give to swatting a mosquito."

"Think you might be overreacting a little there, Gin-kun," Kyoraku said. "Byakuya-kun's a first class asshole, but he's not about to hurt Rangiku-chan. He hasn't tried to kill anyone for no good reason in a century at least."

Ukitake laughed suddenly at that. "He always was going to kill someone or other, wasn't he, when he was a boy?"

Kyoraku joined his laughter. "He wanted to go after my Nanao-chan for slapping him, but he deserved it, calling her a boy."

"Completely ruined New Year's, but just what the Kuchiki family deserved, trying to set him up with an appropriate woman. Anyone could see Byakuya-kun was always going to make his own choices; I've never met anyone so willful, not before or since," Ukitake put in, but he was smiling sentimentally.

"Are you saying the Kuchiki family tried to set up Byakuya with Lieutenant Ise?" Gin asked, a huge grin spreading across his face.

"Among others," Ukitake agreed, smiling at the foolishness of it all.

"I did try to warn them," Kyoraku said. "Nanao-chan has no patience for arrogant men. The number of times they tried to set her up with someone so completely wrong for her; you'd think her own family didn't know her at all, but you don't want to hear these old men talk about times long past."

"Please, I'd love to hear, old family stories are my favorite," Gin assured him.

Kyoraku grinned back. A drunk and enthusiastic audience was always his favorite.


	45. Chapter 45

The arrival of three drunk captains overshadowed most of the rest of the evening. Kyoraku and Ukitake were singing an old, rather rude song with Gin trying to join in although he clearly didn't know the words as they all three staggered into the party late.

"Oh, look," Gin said a bit loudly as they came to a stop before the assembled guests. "Aren't all the little lieutenants adorable? I really do love all of them, did you know that?"

Ukitake nodded in agreement. "They are all very good children. They work so very hard. We must be grateful."

"I don't know," Kyoraku said, looking over the group suspiciously. "You lot save us anything to drink?"

"Yes, sir, of course," Kira responded immediately.

"Good lad," Kyoraku answered.

"That's my lieutenant for you," Gin said, patting Kira on the head as he staggered by. "Don't you love him? He's always terribly helpful."

"Thank you, sir," Kira said, looking very embarrassed.

"And Lieutenant Abarai," Gin said, moving on to the next lieutenant. "I'm sure you'll be worth something someday. You've got guts, and that's something, not like Omaeda over there," he turned to frown at Omaeda sitting across the room, munching on a skewer of beef. "I don't love you, just so you know," he told him. "Just the other lieutenants, you know, the good ones."

He came to a stop between Ikkaku and Yumichika, patting them both on the head and ignoring their obvious annoyance. "And these two, Yu-yu and Pachinko Head, aren't they just the best? They've provided me with literally years of entertainment, and they always look after Ran--hello, Ran, think we could leave now? We've got a perfectly good bedroom down the hall, and all these lovely people to watch the kids."

"How much did you drink?" Rangiku asked, staring at him in a mixture of amused disbelief and real concern.

"Not more than a bottle," Kyoraku said. "Ukitake had quite a bit more." He looked over at Ukitake who had been cornered by Isana, who was quickly checking his vitals. "And he's fine. I'm afraid Gin-kun is quite the light-weight."

"That's only because I haven't drunk anything since before Shiro was born--oh, hello, Shiro, didn't expect to see you here."

Toshiro, who was sitting across from Kira and had been talking to him before the captains' arrival put a stop to everything, glared back at his father. "You're acting like an idiot."

"Oh, I know," Gin agreed. "But I can't seem to stop. Do you think you could tell your mother to put me to bed?"

"How about you just sit down and shut up?" Toshiro suggested.

"That does sound like a nice solution," Gin agreed. "But where would I sit? And if I'm not talking what shall I do instead? Maybe I should try eating because if my mouth's not otherwise occupied every thought that pops into my head seems to escape out of my mouth without any sort of filter at all. I've heard of this before but I'm not sure I've ever--"

Rangiku hopped up and took hold of his hand, which silenced him abruptly. He turned to look at her and smiled a real smile, unlike anything any of their visitors had ever seen on his face before, filled with absolute adoration. "You are so beautiful," he said softly.

Rangiku blushed the same shade as her kimono. "Come sit beside me," she told him with an embarrassed glance at their guests.

Gin nodded in agreement. He made it to his seat without saying anything more, and if it was not really appropriate for him to put an arm around Rangiku's waist and pull her over so she was lounging against him, no one complained.

He scanned the assembled guests who were once again talking now that the captains had been settled among them. They all looked very happy, surrounded by their friends. Even Ise and Hisagi, who he really hadn't been sure would come after the ordeal of the day before, were sitting and talking and even smiling. And Kenpachi, the only not intoxicated captain present, looked as close to happy as he ever did off the battlefield.

Only Ukitake looked at all like Gin, himself, felt, not quite sure if he belonged in this crowd of young people, but, again like Gin, he was willing to try for his wife's sake. Said wife was speaking very seriously to Shiba Miyako, who Gin could only assume was here on behalf of her absent husband. Gin blinked. He'd only had eyes for Rangiku when he'd come in, but it was honestly a wonder he had missed Nemu. The woman was not in the odd dress that was her uniform and practically the only thing Gin had ever seen her wear, but instead she wore a colorful silk kimono decorated with fuchsia carnations, and in her hair was a gold comb that glittered with emeralds the exact same shade as her eyes. The kimono fit her much like they always fit Ran, displaying a generous amount of cleavage, but unlike Rangiku, somehow managing to stop short of looking tacky. She looked both stunningly beautiful and exceedingly wealthy. In short, she looked like the beloved wife of a wealthy nobleman.

It was exactly how Gin would have liked Rangiku to be able to dress. He never dreamed he would ever have been jealous of Ukitake Jushiro. The man spent his life in more pain than Gin liked to think about, but to be able to give so much to his wife would probably be worth a little pain.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As the night wore on and everybody was getting pretty thoroughly intoxicated Gin found himself sobering up a bit. Beside him Rangiku was explaining the biggest problems of the Fifth Division as she saw them to Ayasegawa; mostly she seemed to think they were snobby and worked too hard, and Ikkaku, a little further down the table was arguing with Yachiru over acceptable nicknames. Then there was Kyoraku waxing poetic to Hisagi, Omaeda, and Iba about various alcoholic drinks of the World of the Living. Kira and Ukitake were both looking more than a little confused as Ukitake tried to explain the theory behind an extremely complicated high-level kido that he couldn't quite remember. Miyako kept trying to help him only she wasn't seeming too sure either and Nanao, at her side, looked somewhere between amused and annoyed. The poor thing had stayed sober so she could walk her husband and her captain back to the Eighth. Isana had scooted back against a wall behind them and fallen asleep and was snoring lightly. Nemu, who never got drunk even if she did drink, was politely listening to Kenpachi tell her all the people he really wanted the chance to fight, and Shiro, who had grown more and more bored as the adults around him grew more intoxicated, had also managed to fall asleep, laying across the table with his hair trailing into a dipping bowl of soy sauce and wasabi Gin might have moved after Shiro fell asleep--it had seemed like a good idea at the time.

It seemed to have turned out to be a very nice party, and Gin was feeling oddly proud of himself for managing it. Of course it had been for Rangiku, but, still, it was nice to see that everyone was having such a good time. Strangest of all was that he had not once been tempted to mess with anyone, well, Shiro's hair was soaking up the soy sauce nicely, but, other than that, he'd been perfectly nice, and he'd enjoyed himself, how odd. He was just thinking about how pleasant it all was when over a dozen black hell's butterflies flew in the open doors, one to every captain and every lieutenant except Rangiku.

Gin sighed as he stretched out a hand, and he heard Kyoraku echo his sigh and add, "Well, that was inevitable."


	46. Chapter 46

Rangiku sighed as she looked around the nearly deserted room. "There are a few things that make a person feel utterly worthless, if you know what I mean," she said with a sigh.

Nemu frowned back at her. "I understand that the time allowed by maternal leave is of prime importance to allow the mother's body to recover from the trauma of labor as well as to recover the strength and endurance lost over the long months of pregnancy. As such maternal leave is clearly of great importance, and in fact shows the value of mothers to the Gotei, as they are willing to pay every mother during an extended absence to ensure her health and fitness when she resumes her work. If you were worthless, as you say, I doubt they would be concerned with your recovery to full battle readiness before your return. However, I do understand your frustration in being unable to assist the Gotei. I also feel a certain frustration; only knowing that I am still considered acceptable to guard you and your family while the Captains are away helps to mitigate that feeling."

"Yeah, I don't feel sorry for either of you," Ikkaku said, pushing away his drink and getting to his feet. "So you're missing a meeting, some of us never know what's going on."

Rangiku rolled her eyes. "You could have been a lieutenant any time you wanted. Yu-chan made it without even trying, and everyone knows you're stronger. It's nobody's fault but your own that you're stuck here with us."

Ikkaku frowned at the truth of her words. "And who's fault is it that you keep getting knocked up?" he demanded. "If you actually wanted to be a lieutenant Instead of the best protected woman in all of Soul Society--"

"I've never asked to be treated like this!" Rangiku snapped back. "First I'm not allowed to leave Soul Society, and then I'm not even allowed to leave the Third, and I'm under guard by the stealth squad and now two captain class shinigami! Gin's out of his mind, but it wasn't my idea to indulge all his paranoias! I'm a lieutenant, and I should be allowed to do something. I'm not even allowed to protect my family! Do you have any idea how frustrating that is? I am just supposed to sit here and trust everyone else to keep us safe. How would you feel if they treated you like this? I want to do something!"

Ikkaku grinned. "Like to see them try."

Rangiku sighed again. "But Gin needs--and the kids--I have to--damn, damn, damn, damn! I hate not doing anything!"

"You know," Miyako said, smiling suddenly. "Maybe there is something we could do."

"Like what?" Rangiku said, perking up immediately.

"I've been thinking about how to keep the children safe, if an Arrancar were to come here again, and I remember seeing something in one of those Top Secret books Gin borrowed from RD back when we put a limiter on Toshiro, and I do think it could work, and look at who we have here tonight; surely we have enough reiatsu to pull it off together."

"What limiter you put on Shiro-chan?" Rangiku demanded.

Nemu added, "I do not recall Captain Ichimaru ever borrowing Top Secret books from our department."

"Well, borrow may not be the right word, but he did promise me he gave them back, and, Rangiku, the only reason we didn't tell you anything was because it was completely illegal, but you can see how necessary it was, can't you? He was so strong from the moment he was born. It must be because of all the reiatsu he was exposed to before he was born, but how long do you think it would have been before someone decided he had to be trained?"

Rangiku blinked slowly at her long-time friend. "You helped Gin break the law?" she said slowly.

"To protect Toshiro," Miyako added. "But that was a long time ago. What I'm talking about now is a permanent and invisible barrier like the one Toshiro was hidden in when we couldn't find him, for the children to hide in if any sort of danger comes to Seireitei."

Should I still be here?" Ikkaku asked. "If you women want I can go outside and you can talk about all this illegal stuff on your own."

"Like you care if we break the law," Rangiku said.

Ikkaku sat back down. "Doesn't matter to me, but you might want to sober up first."

"We're plenty sober, and we're not breaking the law this time, just stretching it a bit. And we're going to need your help. We need your reiatsu," Miyako said. "The barrier I want to try uses the reiatsu of multiple people to increase its strength. The more the better."

"Such barriers are difficult, and require authorization to install," Nemu argued. "Toshiro's disappearance is a clear example of why. Someone could be injured within, and we would have no way to help them or even to know help was needed."

"Well, obviously it couldn't be used for anything but a real emergency, and it would have to be stronger than Gin's was, because he broke that with a single blow from a zanpakuto. We need one that can stand up to anything less than a determined attack from a captain."

"It can be done. The strength of two captain-class shinigami combined with our skill should be adequate," Nemu said to Miyako. "I suggest a blood barrier; it is the simplest way to make a barrier Rangiku-san's children can cross and only their parents can retrieve them from."

Miyako nodded. "Then it wouldn't need to lock and couldn't be unlocked. That would make them safer, but I wanted to include Aiko, in case Nanao wanted to hide her as well."

Nemu turned toward the seat where Nanao had been sitting. "Then we must find something with Nanao-san's or Lieutenant Hisagi's DNA."

Rangiku watched as both women hurried to the empty seats. She didn't have the skills they did to help with the construction of the barrier they were discussing, and currently lacked the balance to go running about looking for a loose hair Nanao might have lost. Just like before, she was useless.

She turned to look at Ikkaku. "Looks like this is going to take all night, doesn't it?"

He picked up a half-full bottle from the table. "Another drink?"

"Please."


	47. Chapter 47

General Yamamoto Genryusai looked over his captains and lieutenants in disgust. Nearly every one of the lieutenants appeared to be thoroughly drunk and several of the captains seemed just as bad. Jushiro often struggled to remain standing throughout a long meeting, but this was the first time his lack of balance was due to intoxication. The frail captain was leaning on the giant to his right, and he and Zaraki were both trying to suppress laughter at some shared joke. Toshiro's hair was dripping with water, and he was glaring at his father who seemed a little tipsy himself, although it was difficult to tell as Gin was always saying such odd things at meetings anyway, and, of course Shunsui was drunk, too, but over the centuries Yamamoto had gotten used to that. It never seemed to affect his abilities to think or fight when called upon to do so.

But the lieutenants! Even the usually responsible Lieutenant Kotetsu had stumbled in and was having trouble standing still behind her captain. As far as Yamamoto could tell the only ones not thoroughly inebriated were Lieutenants Ise, who glared whenever she looked in his direction, and Ayasegawa, who somehow managed to look bored despite this being his first act as the lieutenant of the Fifth.

"Who is responsible for the deplorable state of my lieutenants?" Yamamoto demanded.

"That would be me," Gin answered cheerfully. "Although I would have been quite happy to serve about half as much sake--do you have any idea how much it costs to get everyone completely smashed? I don't see how everyone else manages to have so many parties. They must put them on the division tabs--can I do that? Almost everyone at the party belonged to the Gotei. Surely the Gotei would like to foot the bill?"

"It would not!" Yamamoto answered firmly. "What inspired you, Captain Ichimaru, to choose tonight to intoxicate so many of the Gotei's top officers? Surely, you are aware we are in a state of high alert and may all be called upon to defend Soul Society at a moment's notice?"

Gin frowned. "I did tell Ran that it didn't seem like the best time, but I'd already lost the bet--you know, if you could have been a proper father," he said, turning abruptly to Kurotsuchi. "And not forced your daughter to resign there wouldn't have been any bet for Ran to win so it's really all your fault."

Kurotsuchi frowned back at him. "I have no idea what you are talking about. I know nothing about any bets. I think you must still be intoxicated. I can help you with that if you would like. I have several different remedies that--"

"No, thank you, I'm not that drunk," Gin answered. "I was about two hours ago. You ought to have come to Ran's party. I probably would have drunk anything you'd given me, think we all would have if you'd told us it was alcohol."

The scientist looked intrigued. "I will have to look into these 'parties' in the future. I would be glad to attend if they would provide me with willing test subjects. Perhaps, I--"

"Enough of this nonsense," Yamamoto interrupted, angrily. "Reports have come in of attacks on distant settlements in Rukongai, attacks by large groups of hollows, that have destroyed whole villages as they are making their way steadily toward Seireitei. They are composed of more and stronger hollows than have been seen in Soul Society in centuries; there are possibly even Menos Grande within their forces. They are coming from the north, east, south, and west, and are a threat to everything in their path. The Gotei must mobilize immediately to intercept the hollows before they reach any large population centers."

"Were there any Arrancar among the attackers?" Kurotsuchi asked, looking excited.

"There were not any reported," Yamamoto answered. "It appears Aizen may be saving his strongest warriors for other purposes. He sent two Arrancar to Karakura today in what appeared to be a test of our strength. Lieutenant Shiba reported the slaughter of nearly two dozen humans before he and Substitute Shinigami Kurosaki Ichigo were able to intercept the Arrancar, one of whom he identified as the same Ulquiorra who so easily alluded our forces only days ago. The other was a much larger Arrancar called Yammy. He reported that both Arrancar almost immediately withdrew to Hueco Mundo despite the fact that Kurosaki was temporarily incapacitated, and Lieutenant Shiba, himself, was no match for the pair alone."

"Well, that was lucky," Gin said, smiling pleasantly.

"Do you have any guess as to what the Arrancar were doing in Karakura or why they withdrew so quickly, Captain Ichimaru?" Yamamoto demanded.

"Just getting a look at Ichigo, I suppose," Gin said. "Might have been seeing if we'd done anything to protect Karakura yet. I mean, according to Urahara, the Hogyoku can't be done yet, but why not destroy Karakura early if they can? Does Aizen really need the Hogyoku to create the Oken? Does anyone know?"

Yamamoto turned to look over the gathered captains, but no one spoke. "These early feints may only be meant to spread out and weaken our forces. However, we cannot leave the people of Rukongai or Karakura undefended. Divisions Five, Seven, Nine, and Eleven will coordinate under Captain Komamura to deal with the threats to Rukongai as quickly as possible. Understood?"

Kenpachi shrugged. "Long as I'm killing hollows I don't care who you put in charge."

"Wish you people'd make up your goddamned minds," Hisagi said. "Calling me in to send me to Rukongai--wasn't I a fucking traitor yesterday? Thanks to you no one in my division trusts me. Hell! I doubt half the people in this room trust me! What the fuck did I ever do to anyone? Shit, I'm gonna hurl!" And with that he stumbled from the room, and they could all hear the sound of him vomiting loudly outside the door.

Nanao chased after him, only bothering to say, "Excuse me," as she ran.

Kyoraku flinched. "He really is a good boy, most of the time," he said, defensively.

"I'd be a bit put out too if everyone was doubting my loyalty," Gin said, and he grinned hugely. "Well, honestly, as I'm me not him I expect it, and I wouldn't think too much of you all if you did trust me, but if I was Lieutenant Hisagi I'm sure I would be hurt, and probably a bit traumatized after yesterday. It's not usual for most people, being nearly killed by an adorable little coworker, and then you all blamed him for it--out of curiosity, how far did you get with the torture before Shiro reported Hinamori's confession?"

"Easy for you, isn't it? Looking down on all of us and judging, acting arrogant and superior when you're nothing but a murdering traitor," Soifon snapped. "You're probably right; we were wasting our time on Hisagi, but if we were to take you down to an Inquisition for a few hours I'm sure we'd learn a useful thing or two."

"Oh, don't start thinking like that," Gin protested. "I promise I'm far too much of a coward to have held anything back. Even if I'd wanted to keep you in the dark about a few things I wouldn't have dared, not and risk an Inquisition. I'm really quite sensitive to pain, you see. Just the thought of it will keep me talking all day long--but it really isn't necessary anyway. We're friends, remember? We're all on the same side. There's no reason to go about threatening anyone. We've found our spies. Nakajima's our mastermind and Hinamori's the kido expert. All we've got left is to pick up all the little minions that were helping out. Surely your stealth squad is up to that?"

"Of course they are," Soifon said icily.

"Well, then, let's call this meeting good and all go home to our nice warm beds," Gin said, cheerfully.

"I believe I'm in charge here, Ichimaru," Yamamoto growled.

"Oh, yes, sir, quite right! I'm afraid the sake's muddled me a bit too. I'd forgotten all about you."

Yamamoto glared at Gin a moment longer before he continued. "The wall guard is to be doubled immediately with Divisions Two and Ten taking responsibility for wall security. A captain-class officer must be available at all times in case of emergency. Eight and Thirteen will take over citywide security as they appear to be the only divisions prepared to work together on the complicated issue of city-wide patrols. All patrols must contain a seated officer ready to raise the alarm the moment an enemy is sighted within the walls. We are officially at war. We will not allow Soul Society to fall to Aizen."

His sharp eyes surveyed the gathering of the strongest of his men, the core of his army.

"But the defense of Karakura cannot be neglected. I doubt Aizen will make any major moves before he is completely prepared; his current plan appears to be to keep us too occupied to move against him, but he may take advantage of any opportunity left open to him. Shun, I assume Lieutenant Ise can manage the coordination of the Eighth with the Thirteenth without your oversight?"

Kyoraku looked surprised by the question. Yamamoto was not surprised. It had been over a century since he had sent a senior captain anywhere outside of Seireitei, longer since one had been sent to defend the World of the Living, but his forces had been stretched thin. Two captains had turned traitor. Two lieutenant were out because of babies--this was why he hated having young women in the Gotei, call him sexist if you wanted, but what use was a baby-maker to an army? And the Sixth was useless too, thanks to another woman; the only thing Kuchiki or young Abarai would be useful for at this point would be sending on a suicide mission to Hueco Mundo. They'd probably take a few of Aizen's Arrancar with them too, but as far as strategic military maneuvers, they'd be useless. So Kyoraku was it.

"Course she can," Kyoraku agreed, finally. "Nanao-chan can handle things just fine."

"Then you will go to the World of the Living and work with Lieutenant Shiba to prepare for any future Arrancar attacks," Yamamoto told him. "I trust we will not have to fear losing another two dozen human souls in a single attack."

"Are you saying my Lieutenant failed in his duty, sir?" Ukitake demanded, a little loudly because he was still drunk.

Kyoraku answered before Yamamoto could. "I'm sure Shiba-kun did they best he could; poor Nanao-chan and Ran-chan were completely helpless with just one of those fellows. He says he couldn't have handled them himself and they retreated for no reason, but he must not've done too bad, eh? Didn't even get injured, did he?"

"You should work with him while you're there, Shun," Ukitake said, all defensiveness vanishing immediately. "I'm afraid I've failed him as a captain in some ways. I haven't been able to help him with bankai. He's very close. You could get him there. If you wanted. If you're not too busy napping. Or finding pretty human women to chase."

Kyoraku frowned back at his friend. "I think I like you better sober."

Ukitake nodded. "I think I do too."

Yamamoto glared at the pair of them. "Need I remind all of you that while we are at war ready status, all vices are prohibited during both on and off duty hours and that includes alcohol and women?"

"Oi!" Gin said, loudly. "I've read all seventeen books of Gotei statutes and standards of shinigami behavior, mostly because I was wanting to see what I could get away with, but it's only the women you aren't married to who are vices, not the ones you are, so please remember to differentiate. Ran would be terribly annoyed with me if I called her a vice, either that or pleased; that's one of those things I'm never quite sure about, so best avoided altogether. So please remember, wives aren't vices."

"That is nice," Ukitake said, leaning over to look down at Gin. "I'd completely forgotten that exception. Thank you for letting us know."

"I don't suppose there are any exceptions for any varieties of alcohol they might have in the World of the Living?" Kyoraku asked. "I was looking forward to a nice aged scotch."

"Afraid not," Gin answered, smiling pleasantly. "But I don't think they've gotten around to writing rules against all the newest human drugs if you're interested."

"Enough!" Yamamoto snapped. "You are going to the World of the Living to work, Shun, as I hope you will remember, and Jushiro, I am deeply offended by your current state of inebriation. I expect it in others, but you--"

"You threatened Nemu today," Ukitake interrupted. "Be happy I'm here at all."

For a moment Yamamoto stared at the sickly captain, but for once he did not look frail or weak. Anger, that until this moment had been hidden beneath a drunken haze, blazed in his dark eyes and burned in the heat of his reiatsu. He had known Ukitake Jushiro since his childhood, guided him from the Academy to his place as a captain, but in all those years he had never seen anything like this from the calm, quiet, gentle man. He knew Jushiro could be determined, stubborn even, when he believed something was right. He would not have been surprised if Jushiro had chosen to die to protect his subordinate, Rukia, from a death he dreamed unjust, but even so, Jushiro never put his own personal feelings into his decisions. He did what he believed was right without considering what it meant to himself, and so afterwards, when the problem was resolved it was always possible to make peace without any anger or bitterness. It had not occurred to Yamamoto that this time would be any different. He did not understand 'love', and he certainly didn't understand Jushiro's attachment to Kurotsuchi Nemu, but this, he did not like this.

He turned his gaze from Ukitake, refusing to answer the man's anger. One day Jushiro would realize how much this so-called love was weakening him, but for now it was best left alone. Yamamoto knew from long experience that some things had to be allowed to run their course.

"Kurotsuchi," He said calmly. "I want a revised plan for the capture of a Arrancar ready by morning. I need Zaraki's strength here so you will have to rely on the strength of Kuchiki and Ichimaru to accomplish your goal. I have no doubt you will find a way to succeed. Now, Ichimaru, if there are no further questions, you are all dismissed for the evening."


	48. Chapter 48

Gin was looking up at the stars as he walked down the road beside Toshiro. "It's nice, isn't it, when Yama-ji's mad at someone else? I've not really tried it much before, and I must say, it's a pleasant change."

Toshiro glared. "He was mad at you too."

"But he's always mad at me. I don't think anyone even notices anymore. When was the last time he was angry at Kyoraku? And Ukitake? I really didn't think that was possible. How does one get angry at Ukitake? Unless, of course, one is Kurotsuchi and one imagines all sorts of creative things to get angry about."

"I'd be angry at the whole lot of you if I was the General," Toshiro answered. "Showing up falling-down drunk to a captain's meeting. Not one of you were taking anything seriously. People are dying in Rukongai, and you were all giggling like it was the funniest thing you'd ever heard."

Gin lowered his eyes to his son's head. His white hair shown like silver in the moonlight. He glanced back at his father, wide blue-green eyes narrowed and fierce brows arched. There was nothing of his mother's gentle beauty in that face, but, still, he was a beautiful child. Gin could not argue that point with Rangiku. Beautiful and strong and terribly conscientious. How many children lectured their elders about how they should take things more seriously? It had to be unusual. And it probably wasn't healthy. Gin was pretty sure children were supposed to be the ones who were laughing all the time, and not just because their parents did something stupid. "You're a good boy, Shiro, but I think you might need a few friends your own age," Gin said.

Toshiro rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I need friends? Like you've got--" He broke off suddenly and when he spoke again, his voice was so faint Gin could barely hear him. "We're being followed. Can you sense him behind us?"

Gin frowned. Of course the boy was right. There was someone back nearly two hundred yards behind them, tracing their path along the far side of the wall that ran along the road. He hadn't noticed, but that wasn't particularly surprising, there was still too much alcohol in his system.

He nodded. "I'll keep walking. You double back and see if you can catch him." He usually would have suggested the other way around, but Toshiro would definitely be a better choice for the trickier job tonight.

Toshiro vanished from his side, and his reiatsu vanished a moment later, suppressed to near nonexistence. Gin kept walking normally with his senses focused on the person following him. It would only be seconds before Toshiro had him.

But the man turned and ran. It made no sense. He could not possibly have sensed Toshiro. No one who could have been noticed following them so easily could also have sensed Toshiro coming for him, but somehow he did, and he ran.

Gin turned, too, and gave chase. The person, whoever it was, did not even try to conceal their path, using shunpo to go as quickly as they could, but not moving nearly quickly enough.

It was not more than a couple of blocks before they caught up. The person froze in the middle of a road. Toshiro stood only a few yards further down the road and Gin was only a few yards behind. Anyone would have felt trapped between the two captains, but the one they had chased down--both Ichimarus stared.

The person they had been chasing was not wearing any uniform, not of the shinigami, or any of the special forces, or even one of the Four Great Houses. The person they had chased down was a beautiful young woman in the layered silk kimonos of a noble, and in her hands she held a silver incense burner.

It was with quite a shock that Gin realized he recognized her. "An-chan?"

The girl turned round eyes on the captain. "You are a murderer," she said softly, taking one slow step after another toward him. "You slaughtered the good and wise men of central Forty-Six, and so many innocent people of Rukongai, women and children among them, people you were sworn to protect."

Gin stood frozen as he watched her approach. The accusations were not new. She wasn't the first grief-stricken relative he'd faced, and she was hardly the most dangerous, but there was something surreal about this. It was nearly two in the morning, dark and cool and a faint fog was beginning to cling to the road, and the girl, herself, in her expensive kimonos, shimmering with an aura of reiatsu, stronger than he'd perceived before, was strangely calm. He'd faced down rage and hate, even blind desperation born of grief, but calm, no one had ever accused him, challenged him, with such complete calm. Something was wrong; no one challenged a captain like this; it wasn't rational.

"Do you even remember how many you've killed?" she asked, and her hand shifted. She was lifting the lid of the incense burner.

"Look out!" Toshiro shouted, somehow realizing Gin wasn't going to act, and the incense burner was frozen into a block of ice along with An-chan's hands.

At the same moment a shield dropped, revealing more than twenty separate reiatsu on either side of the street. Kido flashed everywhere, filling the street, low-level kido, easily dodged thanks to Toshiro's quick thinking.

Gin leapt upward, expecting to find Toshiro beside him, but instead there was a scream like he'd never heard before and he realized one of the explosions below him wasn't kido at all. The entire street had gone up in a blaze of red flames. One of the scents he had caught had not been from An-chan's incense; it had been one of Kurotsuchi's flammable gasses. The clinging fog had been a trap custom-built for Toshiro.

Rage ripped through Gin's heart, rage like he'd never felt before. The boy appeared beside him only an instant later, his shihakusho smoking and his face only slightly scorched, but it did nothing to calm Gin's fury. He didn't care who went after him, he deserved it, but to target Toshiro--

He pulled Shinso from its sheath and shouted, "Shoot to kill."

Every one of the men who had attacked from both sides of the road fell before they could make a single move. Fools! Not one was strong enough to dodge a captain's shikai.

Gin looked around swiftly for anyone else to attack. Their deaths had not been enough. The blood was still pounding in his head. Rage still burning away every other thought. His son! They had targeted his son with fire, hurting him for no other reason than because they could. He was indifferent to the charred body of Shihoin Anako still burning below him. He wanted only to know if there was anyone left alive who had had any part in the plot to harm his son.

Toshiro stared at Gin for a moment. Then he dropped back to the road and drew Hyorinmaru.

"Reign over the frosted heavens," he commanded, sounding sad and worried.

A sheet of ice washed over the fire, quenching it instantly, and the boy sighed.

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It was only seconds before Soifon arrived with Lieutenant Omaeda and what felt like half the stealth squad. Toshiro hurried to meet them before his dad could. He was worried about Gin. He didn't seem to be acting like himself. Since when did his dad stay on alert with his zanpakuto drawn after an enemy had been defeated?

"What happened here?" Soifon demanded, and Toshiro could tell she was only barely managing to hold back making any accusations.

Toshiro hopped up to the wall beside her, and looked down at the men, each and every one dead from a single strike through the heart. They were all dressed as noblemen, although several were shinigami as well as nobles, and Toshiro even recognized a few of them.

He felt a little sick at the sight. The idiotic nobles had decided to band together to get revenge on his dad. He'd bet money Aizen had somehow pushed them into it.

"They had the girl follow us," he explained to Soifon. "And when we chased she led us into a trap. I have no idea why they thought they could hurt us."

"Looks like they managed to get a hit in on you," Omaeda pointed out.

Toshiro glanced down at his burnt hands. He could feel the burns on his face as well. They were just superficial. They'd hurt like hell, and he'd had a moment of terror he'd never admit to. The sudden heat and raging flames had sent him back, just for an instant, to the center of Yamamoto's blaze, and he'd panicked, but it hadn't been him who'd screamed. It had been the woman his father had called An-chan. Her scream had brought him back to himself, and he'd been able to escape easily--without her. He'd probably never forgive himself for leaving her behind.

"They set the road on fire," he said, frowning. "I guess they figured it'd be my weakness. Idiots. All they managed to do was kill the girl."

"Why are they all dead if they weren't a threat?" Soifon asked.

"That would be my doing," Gin said, finally sheathing Shinso and dropping down to the wall to join the others. "Seemed like the best way to keep them from escaping."

He smiled pleasantly, but Toshiro could tell that no one was buying it. He had never seen his father like this, losing control, lashing out, and now struggling to control his emotions. It wasn't right. It worried him.

Soifon's eyes narrowed. "Are you entirely ignorant of restraining kido, Captain Ichimaru?"

Gin cocked his head to one side and frowned slightly, his usual imitation of thoughtfulness, but to Toshiro it seemed like he was forcing it because it was expected, rather than simply doing it to irritate them, and that was so wrong. "Seems like there might be a few Bakudo for that purpose," he said, finally, "But don't you find death much more effective?"

"I cannot question the dead, Ichimaru," Soifon snarled. "And these men, their deaths are going to be difficult to explain. They are from important--"

"How can they be difficult to explain?" Gin asked. "They attacked two captains. It was practically suicide."

"It didn't have to be," Soifon answered angrily. She started walking along the wall, looking down at the faces of the fallen. "You could easily have disabled every man here without causing a single death. These are all members of the Four Families. Do you realize that, Ichimaru? There will have to be a meeting of the--"

She broke off when she came to one particular man. "This is Yoruichi-sama's cousin," she said in a voice like ice. "You murdered Shihoin Katsutoshi on Shihoin property--Toshiro, take your father away from here before I kill him myself."


	49. Chapter 49

Just so you know, I'm going to be driving to the Grand Canyon and northern New Mexico next week so I may be out of cellphone coverage in the middle of nowhere so I'm going to do my best to post, but I make no promises. Just know I haven't forgotten or wandered off to some other project. I will be back to posting as usual as soon as I get home.

This one's a little longer as an apology so enjoy:)

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Rangiku woke up to the sound of a baby wailing. Her head was pounding, and she was fairly sure if she moved she was going to throw up all over everything. Why, oh, why, had she and Ikkaku decided those last two bottles had to be drunk?

With a moan of sheer misery she rolled onto her side and tugged at her kimono, helping the starving baby to her breakfast. As Yuki traded her cries for slurps Rangiku's eyes fell closed once more. Just maybe she could get in another twenty minutes before the baby had to be burped and changed.

That's when she heard the door get yanked open. "Mommy!" Kinta's high-pitched voice exclaimed, "You missed breakfast! Nii-chan made it for me, but I saved some for you!"

The combined scents of grilled fish and natto hit Rangiku's nostrils, and it took everything she had not to vomit all over Yuki and the futon and herself. "That was so, so sweet of you, Kin-chan," she said through gritted teeth. "How about you put it on the table for Mommy and tell Nii-chan Mommy needs some morning medicine?"

"Ok, Mommy," Kin-chan agreed, and he quickly vanished with the offending smells.

A few seconds later another, slightly lower and a great deal softer, voice addressed her. "Just so you know, you look like shit."

Rangiku opened her eyes slowly to look up at her oldest son. She expected to see the usual resigned disappointment in his gaze. He was kneeling in front of her and holding out the hangover cure Unohana always provided, but instead of disappointed, he looked very like he had a week ago, when he had been spending most of both his days and nights by his comatose father's side, exhausted and like he was trying very hard to hide his fear.

Rangiku took the bottle without a word and took a drink. She wasn't sure she was ready to hear what had happened now. She needed a minute to think. "I don't care if you are a captain, Shiro-chan," she said, as she looked down at Yuki and brushed her hand over the girl's feather-soft, white hair. "I don't want to hear you talking like that. It's a bad example to Kin-chan. I expect better from you."

"Mom," he said, softly, and Rangiku could hear it in his voice; he was afraid.

She drew a deep breath, silently thanking Unohana for her brilliant hangover cure. The headache and nausea had vanished like they'd never been. "Where's your daddy?" she asked, feeling almost sick with fear herself at his possible answer.

"He's gone in to work," Toshiro answered. "After you feed Yuki you should go talk to him. I'll pack you a bento for breakfast, and don't worry, I can watch the kids as long as you need."

Rangiku released the vial as Toshiro pulled it from her hand and watched in confusion as her son stood and turned back toward the door.

"Shiro-chan, what's wrong?" she said, unable to let it go.

He looked back, frowning. "I--I'm not--" his eyes left hers. She'd seen Toshiro worried before, she'd even seen him afraid, but the uncertainty she saw now was something she'd never expected. Toshiro and uncertainty just didn't fit. Even when he didn't know something he always knew what he needed to do to find it out. He didn't just not know; that wasn't Toshiro.

"Dad killed some people last night," he said finally. "Don't worry, they were the ones who attacked us. It wasn't Dad's fault or anything. He didn't do anything wrong, but--I mean, he's annoyed the Four Families, but they don't have any ground to stand on so don't worry about that. It's just--I think, if I hadn't been there, he wouldn't have killed anyone. They, really stupidly, used fire to target me. Like I can't handle an ordinary fire. I mean, I don't like it, but who does like being set on fire? But Dad, he—he actually lost it. It was just for a second, but he completely—I've never seen him get angry before. I've seen people push him; I've even tried to push him. He doesn't get mad, and he never loses control, but last night he—he drew Shinso, and he killed every one of those men in less than a second. If anyone else had been around they would have died too; he wouldn't have waited for an explanation. And the expression on his face, he was furious, and he wasn't even trying to hide it. He didn't care about anything but killing them."

Rangiku stared at Toshiro. She understood his fear, his uncertainty. That wasn't Gin, reacting at all, much less with anger, and losing control, even for a second, it had never happened. She had no idea what to do, but seeing Toshiro's fear, she realized this was one of those times he needed her to be the grown-up. His father had frightened him, and he had absolutely no idea what to do. He needed her to take care of this one.

"The feelings have always been there, Shiro-chan," she said slowly. "I think Daddy's just not trying as hard to hide them now that Aizen's gone. I'll talk to him, but I don't think you need to worry. There's a big difference between a captain striking back with deadly force when someone he loves is threatened and a captain actually losing control. The district wasn't leveled, was it?"

Toshiro drew a deep breath. He looked like he was considering what she had said. "Maybe," he said, finally. "But we may just be lucky that Shinso is a strictly duel-type zanpakuto; he couldn't level the city with it if he wanted to."

Rangiku thought about that as she watched Toshiro leave. Even she didn't know Gin's bankai. As far as she had known only Aizen had seen it since Gin had gone to the trouble to make captain through vote rather that testing, but Toshiro's statement certainly implied he knew what Shinso was capable of. She had always worried at the way Gin had kept Toshiro at a distance, but if he had shared his bankai, maybe they were closer than she thought.

Gin had done everything he could for Toshiro, from the very moment he was born; she knew that now, thanks to Miyako's drunken explanation of the limiter that had once held back Toshiro's reiatsu. He could have left it at that; Toshiro'd been safe then, but instead Gin had trained him. Toshiro'd hated it, and complained constantly about the time he'd been forced to spend with his father, but it had changed slowly. Now, she was pretty sure Toshiro no longer resented the time he had been forced to train; looking back he might even appreciate it, and maybe it was a bond between them. Neither were good at emotional bonding, but maybe this was just as good.

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Rangiku stood in the doorway of the Third Division Head Offices. She was surprised to see an unusually miserable looking Kira hunched over a monstrous pile of paperwork as he rubbed his forehead. More piles of paperwork hiding his entire desktop made it clear he wasn't going anywhere soon. The really surprising thing was she could have sworn his desk was empty the morning before.

"Oh, God," she groaned. "He's delegated all his work again, hasn't he?"

Kira raised his head. His eyes were bloodshot and circled with almost black shadows. He looked seriously hung-over. "Next time you have a party, Rangiku-san," he said, very softly, "Could you please make sure the Captain doesn't drink? I don't mind helping him get caught up, but some of this isn't due for weeks, and none of it's secret, but he won't let me take it with me to work on at the Fourth. Even though he promised he would let me let me keep watch over Hinamori."

Rangiku smiled. "He has a hangover, doesn't he?"

"Last time I opened the door to have him stamp something he threatened to skewer me for letting in some light."

Rangiku's smile grew. "I'll take care of him, Kira. Don't worry. Just make sure no one bothers us for an hour, and you can go look after Momo-chan. You won't even have to worry about the paperwork."

Kira's head dropped, but Rangiku could still see the blush coloring his cheeks. She really loved that about him, about all the young lieutenants, really. They were so adorably easy to embarrass. "Rangiku-san, I don't--I don't think the Captain's really in the mood for anything like that," he said awkwardly.

"Kira," Rangiku answered, shaking her head. "The Captain is always in the mood."

And with that she pulled open the door and stepped into the dim Captain's Office.

"Kira," Gin said, "Don't think I won't murder you. I'm sure I can find another reasonably talented, extremely conscientious lieutenant with no sense of self worth somewhere."

He was draped miserably across the couch much like Rangiku herself did on occasion, with a pillow over his head.

"I don't know, Gin," she answered as she pulled the door closed behind her and locked it. "That sounds like a pretty unusual combination."

"What do you want, Rangiku? Are you here to mock my misery?"

"It is tempting," she answered as she crossed the room. "You've mocked mine often enough. It's about time you found out what it felt like."

She knelt down on the floor beside his head and gently pulled away the pillow. "Poor baby," she said, softly. "You really feel awful, don't you?"

Gin's arm replaced the pillow, blocking what little light there was from his eyes. "I can't believe you people do this to yourselves on purpose," he moaned. "I think I preferred being cut in half."

"You're the one who decided to try drinking with Captain Kyoraku. Even I know better than that. Captain Kyoraku could drink every bottle of sake in Seireitei with no ill effects."

"I didn't decide to—your friends Pachinko-head and Yu-yu volunteered me. I've been thinking all morning about ways to get back at them."

"So what did Kira do? How did he earn first victim status?" Rangiku asked.

"He told Third Seat Miyamoto to talk quietly because I have a hangover," Gin answered.

"What's wrong with that?" Rangiku wanted to know.

"One minute they're being quiet because my head is killing me, the next they start thinking I have feelings, like a person or something; it's a slippery slope. Honestly, it's Aizen's fault for sticking me in the Fourth for a week, but I can't make him do paperwork--oh, how I envy old Captain Hirako; making Aizen do paperwork must have been one of the great joys of his life."

Rangiku almost laughed, but she hadn't quite missed what Gin had tried to hide behind his joking. "What's wrong with people knowing you have feelings? You don't have to play a part anymore. You can be you now."

Gin was silent for a moment. "Ran, my head really does hurt so unless you know a healing kido for hangovers--"

Rangiku pulled out the vial she had brought from her medicine cabinet. "I have Unohana's miracle cure."

Gin lifted his arm and narrow blue-green eyes stared at her suspiciously. "I thought you were never to share that with anyone because Unohana's of the opinion that people who drink themselves sick get what they deserve."

"And I only get a pass because a mom who's a functioning alcoholic is better than a non-functional one--pretty much, but I don't think you're going to make a habit of this. I don't think even Unohana could object to getting falling down drunk once every seventy or so years," she said as she handed over the bottle. "Send her division a really nice gift for New Year's or something as a thank you."

Gin took a sip and the deep lines between his brows relaxed almost instantly. "What do you think would be a really nice gift? I'm not giving back Kira, not when I've finally made him really useful, and I haven't got any other decent kido users at the moment. Maybe I could give her Takeda; he's so pretty none of the women seem to care that he's completely useless."

"Takeda's useless?" Rangiku said in surprise. Even she had noticed the shinigami universally considered the most attractive in the Third and knew there was a rumor going around that the only reason he couldn't move up in the division was that Gin felt threatened by him, a rumor that always made Rangiku want to giggle. Rangiku shook her head; it really wasn't important at the moment. "I didn't mean you should give her a person! I just meant a nice gift basket from The World of the Living or something. You're usually very good at those."

"Oh," Gin answered, frowning slightly. "That's not nearly as much fun--speaking of which, what have you done with the children? It's one thing to dump all the paperwork on Kira but both Kin-chan and Yukiko is just cruel."

Rangiku smiled. "Shiro-chan volunteered to watch them, for as long as we needed."

Gin grinned in answer, his largest, most fox-like grin. "That long?"

"Yep."

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Toshiro cringed at the sound of mud hitting the leaves of a delicate, twisted maple that grew near what had once been the garden pond. He had tried objecting to allowing Kinta to destroy the garden, but he sort of got that his mom had her hands full. It was less than two weeks ago that his father had nearly died, and she'd learned he'd played the part of a double traitor that could have gotten him executed as easily as it had nearly gotten him killed. Add to that being basically imprisoned in the Third, meeting an Arrancar and watching her dearest friends being emotionally and physically shredded all around her by Aizen's various plots, and when he thought about it, she really wasn't doing all that bad with dealing with his colicky baby sister and hyperactive brother.

Kinta had yet to hurt himself or anyone else, and Yuki--Toshiro met the five-week-old's eyes with a suspicious gaze that she returned.

"You don't have to doubt me," he told her, feeling stupid for talking to a baby. She obviously couldn't understand him, but her didn't appreciate that look. "You can always trust me. No matter what. I'm your Nii-san. I will always look out for you."

She didn't look impressed.

"I know. It's what everybody says, but I mean it. I'll never let anyone hurt you," he frowned at her continued skeptical gaze. How did a baby even manage a look like that? "Just do me a favor and don't grow up to be an evil version of Mom."

He'd heard Yumichika telling his mother last night that that was probably what Yuki would grow up to be, as beautiful and attractive to the opposite gender as Rangiku, and as coldly calculating as Gin. Toshiro couldn't think of a worse combination. "You know, just because we look like him they expect us to end up like him. We've got to stick together, prove them wrong, show them we can be just as good as any dumb blond."

The baby just stared back at him, reminding Toshiro that Kinta wasn't the only one being stupid at the moment.

He sighed and looked over at his little brother. The boy had completed the moat or canal or whatever it was he had decided to call the disaster that linked the little garden stream to the pond, although the koi seemed uninterested in escape, and he was now standing in a muddy mess, expanding it toward a pretty bed of lilies.

"Hey, Kin-chan," Toshiro said. "Why don't you pick all those flowers for Mom before you dig them all up?"

Kinta raised his head and looked over at his big brother. "What flowers?"

Then he looked in the direction Toshiro was pointing. He had very obviously not noticed the lilies until that moment, despite the fact that each flower was nearly the size of his head. "Mommy would like those wouldn't she?" he said. " 'Cause they're pink."

"Yeah," Toshiro agreed, already wondering how old Kinta would have to be before he could force him to replant every last flower and bulb and shrub the child had murdered in the past couple of weeks. "Then you can put them in a vase on the table."

"Ok," Kinta agreed and began ripping the flowers out of the ground as quickly as he could manage. The weirdest thing about it, to Toshiro at least, was that the kid didn't seem to mean to be violent or aggressive about it. He was talking quite happily about how pretty the flowers were and how much their mom was going to like them. He seemed completely oblivious to the fact that he was being absolutely brutal to the poor plants.

When he finally came to the porch with his hands full of the mistreated blooms he was grinning from ear to ear. "Mommy's going to love them, isn't she, Niichan?"

Toshiro looked over the flowers. Most of the stems were broken and many petals were missing, and some had been ripped out of the ground with leaves and bulbs still attached, but they were still beautiful flowers, and knowing his mother, "Yeah, Kin-chan, she'll love them. You want me to get you a vase?"

Kinta's eyes widened in something almost like horror. "You'd wake up Yuki!" he said, breathlessly. "I can get it myself."

He hopped up onto the porch and vanished inside, and Toshiro looked down at the baby. She had fallen asleep, leaning against his chest. That was a first. The little monster was almost impossible to get to sleep. He'd watched his mom and others pace back and forth coaxing the baby to sleep and heard the wailing she seemed to think necessary to proceed every nap.

"Just so you know," he told her softly. "I'm not going to volunteer to watch you again even if you do behave for me."


	50. Chapter 50

It's been weird being out of touch with the world for so long. The desert is beautiful, but I'm glad I'm back. Here's an extra-long chapter to thank everyone for their patience.

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Ukitake Jushiro understood that there were many people in the world who often struggled to mind their own business, and not only the eternally curious like Ichimaru Gin, but those who really felt a need to be involved in every moment of the lives of everyone around them because of how much they cared about them. He had never been one of these people. As much as he did care about everyone around him, he very seldom felt any need to look any more deeply into their lives. The few problems people did share with him were more than enough to occupy what little energy he had. He did not need to seek out more.

Let everyone keep their own business to themselves--especially Shunsui--any day Shun kept his business to himself was a good day.

But then, as Ukitake was sitting on a porch, drinking a--sadly medicinal--cup of tea, and watching over some of the most advanced members of his division practice their kido, one of the shinigami on gate duty came running up to the porch.

The girl bowed and said, "Excuse me, Captain, but we thought you should be alerted, Captain Kurotsuchi has come to visit Lieutenant--I mean Nemu--I mean Lady Ukitake-sama." The girl bowed again, lower this time, after stumbling over what to call his suddenly non-Gotei wife. "Please excuse me, Captain."

"Nemu-san will be fine, Shiri-chan. There's no need to call her by any title," Ukitake said, smiling, although all he could think about was intercepting Kurotsuchi before he came anywhere near Nemu.

"You shouldn't have let that monster in!" Kiyone protested.

"Don't you know the Captain's angry with him?" Sentaro practically shouted at the poor gate guard.

"We'll throw him out for you, Captain!"

"Yeah, we'll get rid of him! Coming here after what he's done! He'd better come on his hands and knees!"

"Enough," Ukitake said and the two fell silent, somehow realizing that for once he wasn't in the mood for their drama. "Shiori-chan, don't worry. You did exactly as you should have. You may return to your post."

The two Third Seats sighed, and Ukitake could feel their restlessness behind him. He felt exactly the same. But it was none of his business. Nemu could handle her relationship with Kurotsuchi however she wished. If she chose to speak to him that was her business not his.

She did not need an overbearing brute of a husband to come bursting in ready to protect her. She was strong and intelligent. It was insulting to her to even consider that she might need him. But Kurotsuchi, with his poisons and his lying manipulations, wasn't safe for anyone, and Nemu, she could be so naive.

One moment Ukitake Jushiro was sitting calmly on the porch, the next he had vanished so suddenly and completely that his two Third Seats had no chance of following him, and his reiatsu was so completely hidden that the pair who had spent their entire careers tracking him could find no sense of where he had gone.

Ukitake felt like a fool, which he knew he was. Anyone over four hundred years old had no excuse playing at being a shinobi over a woman, but there really wasn't anything else he could call this. He was standing, completely hidden, outside his own entertaining hall, with the twin blades of Sogyo no Kotowari in his hands, spying on a private conversation between his wife and her father.

He should leave, and he knew it. Either that or he should admit he was too weak to leave and go in and apologize to Nemu now. He should not stay here. This, listening, just to make sure nothing happens, was absolutely childish, and disrespectful to Nemu.

And they were having tea! He was spying on tea! What was wrong with him? He really had imagined a threat out of nothing. Kurotsuchi was a strange man, but he must have come to reconcile with his daughter. He had always seemed to have some sort of a fondness for her.

"Isn't the tea good?" He heard Nemu say, and he smiled, remembering a time when for her differentiating between flavors had been about chemical differences and not tastes. "Shiro-chan's sister sent it to us for New Years."

"You have become very skilled at imitating the thoughts and feelings of a real person, Nemu. I have not been able to determine why. It does not appear to be in line with the singular goal with which you were created. You were created only to serve as my lieutenant. Your only goal was to be useful. You were to focus only on gaining more knowledge and more strength with which to be more useful. The only emotion with which you were created was curiosity, an absolute necessity for all scientists. I cannot see how you grew from that to this. You were a brilliant tool, useful in almost every endeavor of the Department of Research and Development and now you are nothing but the plaything of a crippled captain. You do not 'love' him. You do not feel anything. Please explain to me why you insist on playing this role."

Ukitake drew in a deep breath. He had heard all this before. Kurotsuchi had never hidden his doubts about the depth of Nemu's feelings and Ukitake had never once listened. He didn't buy the idea of an artificial soul; a soul, however created, was the very core of a being. It thought, it felt, it existed. Nemu was as real as any other being of Soul Society. Ukitake had never doubted Nemu, not in her feelings for him or anything else, but Kurotsuchi's words had often made Nemu doubt herself. She was never quite sure she was real.

It hurt to stand silent while hearing Kurotsuchi speak words that would cause Nemu pain, but he shouldn't be here at all. It wasn't any of his business.

"I have told you before," Nemu said with her usual calm. "It is not a role. I have grown. If you did not want me to grow you should not have given me that ability."

"You have grown, Nemu," Kurotsuchi said. "You are very much like a child. The growth and development of the human mind is second to none, and it seemed sensible to me that I model your growth on that pattern. In many ways I would say it has been a success. You have followed most models accurately, and the depth of understanding and the extent of knowledge you hold on most subjects has progressed most satisfactorily."

"Then what is your objection?"

"Like most children on the cusp of adulthood you desire freedom. You wish to be free from the control of your parent and to become the master of your own life. I suspect that may be the entire reason for this charade. Who better than Ukitake to protect you from me? He would buy the even most obvious false story of hardship, and die to protect the poor, pitiful victim--and if he were to die half the Gotei would turn out to avenge him. I cannot comprehend the logic of fighting and possibly dying to avenge the death of a man we all know will be dying soon anyway. It is completely nonsensical."

"You wouldn't--" Nemu began.

"Am I one to pick a fight with half the Gotei? I am no fool. I will not harm your shield, Nemu, but I think you may have forgotten something." Ukitake heard the rustle of paper like the sound of a scroll being unrolled. Then he heard Kurotsuchi begin to read. " 'As the property of Division Twelve, the constructed being known as Kurotsuchi Nemu shall be excluded from the order to destroy all mod-souls. This exemption shall last for only as long as it is deemed valuable to the functioning of Division Twelve. If at some point Division Twelve no longer finds it to be of value it must be destroyed.' "

Kurotsuchi paused, and Ukitake felt, for a second, like he'd been struck through the heart. The order to destroy the mod-souls had been monstrous, and he hadn't been given the chance to fight it. It had been carried out before he'd even heard it had been issued, a secret order within RD, but this, he knew there was no way it would happen. He was a Captain of the Gotei with well over two hundred years worth of friendships and favors to call upon if necessary, and he'd fought against worse odds and come out on top. There was no way Nemu would ever be in any real danger.

Kurotsuchi was not done. "I will still allow you to come back, Nemu. You have been very defiant, but I am willing to forgive you. You will come back to me, and you will obey all of my orders without question. You will be the lieutenant you were designed to be, and you will forget of all the sentimental nonsense Ukitake has been filling your head with."

There was silence, and Ukitake fought the urge to run to Nemu's side, and, perhaps, murder her father on the way. How any person could treat another like this was beyond him, making such a monstrous threat, blackmailing her, and the man called himself her father! Did he not know what the word meant? Nemu was nothing to Kurotsuchi but a science experiment, even if she was created from his DNA, and if she was no longer useful to him, he saw no reason not to destroy her.

"I resigned at your request and not because I do not wish to serve as your lieutenant," Nemu answered. "However I will not serve under the conditions you suggest. There are some commands even a captain cannot give. I am not your slave."

"Do you not see that order?" Kurotsuchi demanded. "You're not even a slave. You're a thing. You're a tool and a weapon built for my division. You are not a person. Constructed beings cannot be allowed to become a part of society. They are too dangerous. While you were under the watch of the division you could be allowed to exist, but as an unsupervised citizen of Seireitei--it is completely irresponsible. Ukitake should have known better than to encourage you in this. The fool. He has imagined you to be something you are not, and it is time he faces reality. If you will not return to the division and get rid of that thing so you can be useful to our mission I will inform the Punishment Squad that you are to be collected for destruction. That'll be a nasty little wake up for your gentle husband. It's about time the Gotei remembered what you really are."

"No," Nemu said, softly. "You will not. That order applies to Kurotsuchi Nemu, a constructed being. I am Ukitake Nemu, a member of a noble house. Even if someone might wish to apply the order for the destruction of mod-souls to me, it could not be you. You are a Captain of the Gotei. You no longer have any jurisdiction over me."

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Kurotsuchi demanded.

"I am no longer a member of the Gotei. You accepted my resignation. I am Lady Ukitake Nemu, wife of the head of the Ukitake House, a lesser noble house, under the rule of the Four Great Houses. The order for my destruction must go through one of the Four Great Houses themselves or Central 46. Until Central 46 is reconvened you cannot touch me. Jushiro told me he made that clear to you and General Yamamoto yesterday. Was that not the case?"

"Then when they are reconvened the order will be put through, Nemu," Kurotsuchi snapped. "I will not be defied like this! Not by my own creation!"

"By then there would be no reason for you to do so," Nemu answered, sounding truly puzzled. "Why would you waste your time on a likely futile fight?"

"I created you. If I desire it, you will die."

"I don't think so," Nemu's answer was absolutely confident, and Ukitake felt very proud of her. She had come so far. She had been created as little more than a puppet, serving the whims of a mad scientist, but she had become so much more. She was strong now, able to stand on her own without fear, facing down her creator. No one could claim she had not grown beyond her programming now, not when she could speak with such absolute defiance to the one she had been created to obey.

He should go now, let her have her moment, and return later to apologize about how foolish he had been to think she would need his help. She could stand on her own. She did not need any crutch.

He heard Kurotsuchi stand and start for the door, and Ukitake was about to vanish himself, when Kurotsuchi had to share one last remark. "I have been told it will be a year before Central 46 can reconvene. That is convenient. While I am seeing to your disposal will be the perfect time to make a recommendation on the handling of half-constructs. Likely, one as carelessly patched together as the one you are growing should be destroyed. The dangers of such a genetic mismatch--"

He pulled open the rice paper door to the porch, and his words cut off abruptly. The shining blades of Sogyo no Kotowari were crossed at his throat, and he was looking into the eyes of Ukitake Jushiro, burning with a fury the like of which had seldom been seen even in the Gotei 13.

"It is enough," Ukitake said through gritted teeth. It was taking all of his strength not to pull the blades apart and simply remove the man's head from his shoulders. Not in front of Nemu, was the only thought that stopped him. This had to end. The man had to die, but not in front of Nemu. "Nemu, go."

But in the instant his eyes shifted to Nemu a cloud of poisonous gas burst out from Kurotsuchi. Both Nemu and Ukitake leapt back. Nemu went up, smashing through the tiles before landing on the roof a good distance away, and Ukitake landed on a stone in the decorative pond that divided his quarters from one of the division practice fields--where at the moment a crowd of young shinigami were running through kenpo stances.

Ukitake did not show any reaction to the crowd behind him, only raising his hand and calling, "Sekisho," calling up a barrier wall running the entire length of the pond, directly behind himself, protecting them, but in no way shielding himself from the purple plumes of gas they could now see rising from the Captain's home.

Kurotsuchi stepped out onto the porch with Ashisogi Jizo in shikai. "I cannot kill you," Kurotsuchi said with a sigh. "As I was explaining to Nemu earlier. Yamamoto will not allow it, and it would not be rational to allow a personal issue to take precedence at a time like this. I cannot deny your skills will be useful in the coming fight against Aizen as you must see mine are as well. The Gotei needs me. You are a man respected for your wisdom and self-control, surely you will not allow some little quarrel over a girl to destroy your reputation?"

Ukitake's eyes went to Nemu, standing on the broken roof of their home. She had retreated further when she had seen Ashisogi Jizo in Kurotsuchi's hand. She looked angry, with him, most likely, but also worried, worried Kurotsuchi might hurt him, and worried the poisons Kurotsuchi waved about so carelessly might destroy the life that was only beginning within her. It was enough. She would not worry again, not because of this petty tyrant.

"Bankai," Ukitake said, with utter calm, "Waves of the Infinite Seas, wash away the attacks of my enemies."

"Bankai?" Kurotsuchi demanded, "Here? Are you out of your mind?" He did not even notice the fact that his daughter began to call up another kido shield more elaborate than the one Ukitake had first called, that encircled the pair and should protect the division from any fallout from a bankai. She clearly did not doubt Ukitake was serious.

But then the power of Sogyo no Kotowari was washing over the poisonous cloud, shredding it into its elemental reishi, and he had only two choices, match Ukitake's attack or surrender.

"Bankai: divine leg-cutting Jizo!" he shouted, and the giant, golden, baby-headed caterpillar monstrosity emerged from his zanpakuto.

But it was too late. The slow-moving creature could not act, much less react before it was enveloped in the overwhelming wave of reiatsu, disintegrating, like the shikai had, into its component reishi.

Ukitake leapt forward then. Attack first and think later was the only way to deal with a genius like Kurotsuchi. Give him a second to think, and he was sure to come up with a way to kill you, but he was awful with a sword. Kurotsuchi barely blocked the first blade of Sogyo no Kotowari, holding Ashisogi Jizo up awkwardly with both hands. It was quite obvious no opponent was ever supposed to get this close.

The moment Kurotsuchi remembered the second blade, Ukitake watched his eyes widen, and his gaze shifted to Ukitake's left hand. It was held out as if he was reaching for something and as Kurotsuchi watched the last of the massive wave of reiatsu drew into the extended zanpakuto.

Reiatsu flashed through the mirror charms, and Ukitake knew Kurotsuchi could feel the force of his own bankai added to Ukitake's in the blade he blocked, there, ready to explode in his face.

"Swear to me you will never threaten Nemu again," Ukitake said in a low voice, fighting that same urge he'd felt before. Enough was enough. He should end the monster's life now. Nemu deserved to be free of this worry forever. But she also deserved a family, and this was the only family she had ever had. "I don't want to kill you. I only kill when absolutely necessary, but I cannot think of any way I can trust you not to threaten Nemu again. I can and will protect her from any threat you can concoct, but she should not have to endure that. She deserves peace."

Kurotsuchi was having a little difficulty focusing on anything beyond the idea of being hit in the face with the force of two captains' bankai. His survival would probably depend on what form Ukitake's attack actually took, and that he had not managed to discover even after years of research.

"I will give her to you, officially," he said.

"What?" Ukitake hissed. He would give her to him? Would the man never get it through his head that Nemu wasn't a thing?

"Or, even better, I will admit she already belongs to you. She has belonged to you since your marriage, and, for as long as she is useful to you and the Ukitake House, she will be excluded from the ban on mod-souls, and only if you decide she is no longer useful will she be destroyed."

"What?" Ukitake repeated, stumbling slightly as he drew back, an expression of horror on his face.

"I am tired of all this fighting over a girl," Kurotsuchi declared, sheathing his zanpakuto and brushing at his clothing fussily, like he had not, just a moment ago been an inch from death. "You clearly care about a great deal more about it than I do, so I will tell Yamamoto I wash my hands of the whole thing," he was speaking loudly now and looking over the crowd.

Ukitake followed his gaze and sighed when he saw Kyoraku push past the crowd with Sentaro at his heels. Then, only a few feet closer, looking like they'd been there for some time was Shiba Miyako with Kiyone. It seemed his Third Seats thought he would need help. He would have to talk to them about that later.

"Did you all hear me?" Kurotsuchi asked. "I have decided Captain Ukitake is right. Nemu is no longer Gotei property, and I will inform the General immediately of the need to correct the paperwork. She is the property of the Ukitake house. I will no longer take any sort of responsibility for her."

The barriers vanished, and Kurotsuchi walked away, shaking his head and muttering, "All this fuss over a girl, ridiculous."

Ukitake fell to his knees, coughing up a spray of blood, and his bankai dissolved. He was surrounded before his knees hit the ground.

Nemu and Miyako were on either side supporting him, and Nemu was speaking a gentle admonishment as she wiped the blood from his lip with a handkerchief. "Did you not promise me you would not pick a fight with him? Did you not give me your word that his would be the first blow? Your health is too precious to me."

"I know I'm always telling you you've got to stop acting like you're an old man, Shiro-chan," Kyoraku said with a laugh. "But I really do think we've outgrown dueling."

Ukitake looked up at his friend. "What would you have done, Shun? This is no longer about any mission. He called her the property of his division and threatened to destroy her, even if he has to wait for Central 46 to reconvene."

Kyoraku's expression became very hard. "Me? I suppose if someone were to threaten my girls like that they'd be dead before they could finish speaking, but I'm not you. In all the centuries I've known you I've never once seen you lose your temper. Kinda surprising you would now, nearly killing your father-in-law for being the heartless bastard you've always known he is, when you know he's powerless to do what he's threatening."

Ukitake got to his feet with a sigh. "I am fine, thank you, really," he said, shrugging off all helping hands but Nemu's. "If Yamamoto did not agree with him, I think it would be easier to endure Kurotsuchi's talk of Nemu as Gotei property--"

"General Yamamoto considers Nemu-sama to be Gotei property?" An unfamiliar voice asked, and Ukitake turned.

For the first time he really took in the crowd surrounding him. Beyond Shunsui, who should be on his way to the World of the Living, Nemu, and his two hovering Third Seats was quite a crowd. Miyako was still at his elbow, and he realized she was not dressed in her usual comfortable cotton kimono, but in layered silk. Behind her was the man who had spoken, an important member of the Shiba House Ukitake recognized as Shiba Hidemitsu, also dressed in formal silks, along with an entire Shiba family entourage mixed into the gathering of division members.

Ukitake's eyes shifted back to Miyako, and he spoke slowly. He suddenly had the very bad feeling that Aizen was using Nemu's pregnancy for more than to simply destroy his relationship with Kurotsuchi. "Miyako-chan," he said, slowly. "Where is it you are headed with such a crowd?"

"An informal meeting," she answered quickly. "Don't worry. It's not important. We're not late, and even if we are I doubt the Fourth will even send a representative. If Kuchiki wants to take offense he will have to take offense at them."

"I would like," Shiba Hidemitsu said, "If you do not find it too much of an imposition, Miyako-sama, to invite Captain Ukitake to the meeting. He might give us an impartial view of these recent disturbing incidents, and I believe all who belong to the noble houses would wish to offer our support to his defense of Nemu-sama."

Ukitake's eyes widened, but this was suddenly a conversation between nobles, and he was painfully outranked. He wanted to warn Miyako. Hidemitsu had been anti-Gotei even before the rumors of a Yamamoto plot had begun to weave their way through the noble houses. He wanted to use Ukitake's own disagreement with the General, probably use the argument over Nemu's own standing to show Yamamoto did not respect the position of the nobility of Seireitei.

But Miyako loved her old captain and had always been of the opinion that the high-ranking members of Seireitei did not show him nearly the respect he deserved. "That would be perfect," she agreed. "If you are feeling up to it, Captain?"

Now he wondered, use the old excuse of illness and let them spread the story of what had happened as they perceived it or go and attempt some sort of damage control?

His eyes met Shunsui's, and the old drunk smiled. "Well, I'd best be going. Think if I hurry I can beat my old time? I'd like to see if I can let Shiba-kun off in time for lunch."

Ukitake smiled. He could always depend on Shun. "Good luck." Then he returned his gaze to Miyako. "I would be most honored to attend."


	51. Chapter 51

Gin slowly ran his fingers up and down Rangiku's spine, in a motion that half an hour ago would have sent shivers of heat to wake every nerve in her body but now was only soothing; she might fall asleep soon if he kept it up.

"And here I was saying only yesterday that wives aren't vices," he said, as he took a deep breath of her hair.

"I would have thought you'd know better than that," Rangiku answered, shifting slightly as she laid against his chest. Gin really wasn't the best of cushions, too bony.

"We're officially at war, don't know if anyone bothered to tell you," Gin said. "But, in any case, vices are off limits during war. Kyoraku looked about ready to cry when he heard, but, you know, as long as wives officially aren't vices I really can't complain. Isn't it nice that nobles need heirs even more during times of war? Though why they put it off in the first place I can't imagine. The production of heirs is such a pleasant activity."

Rangiku nodded thoughtfully. "The first bit anyway, not sure pleasant is really a word you could apply to much of the rest of it."

"True. I don't think I'd even go so far as to call raising Shiro pleasant--how did you persuade him to watch the others, anyway? I know he'll watch Kin-chan on occasion, but I thought he refused to be left alone with Yukiko, too afraid of screaming and diapers, which are perfectly valid fears, to be fair."

"You scared him last night," Rangiku answered, abruptly remembering it wasn't nap time. "He wanted me to talk to you about what happened."

"Someone tried to set him on fire, and I killed 'em; not sure how that would've scared Shiro," Gin answered with impressive carelessness. "I've never actually asked, but I was pretty sure even the good guys were allowed to fight back when attacked."

Gin's voice showed no particular emotion, but laying against his chest Rangiku heard an immediate change in his heartbeat. As he remembered what had happened each beat came harder and faster. His breath caught, and she could feel the effort with which he forced each breath to remain slow and even, gradually even forcing his heartbeat to calm. He would not settle for anything less. No little feeling had ever been allowed to break that control. Only last night--

"He said you got angry," Rangiku said softly. "He said you lost control."

"Don't tell the Four Families, but I think I may still have been a touch drunk. You must have noticed I go a bit overboard when I've got some alcohol in me. Tell Shiro not to worry. I'm not about to go drinking again, not with Kyoraku or anyone else."

Rangiku sighed. "Gin, don't you think it's about time you let go of some of the super control and admitted to yourself and everyone else that you do actually feel things? Maybe then you could start to learn how to deal with your anger so next time some weakling attacks Shiro you don't kill everyone in the vicinity. Not all emotions are the enemy, and complete denial isn't the only solution."

"That's not at all fair, Ran-chan," Gin protested. "I don't see how we could be here now if I was in complete denial of having any sort of emotions. Aren't they required for this sort of thing?"

Rangiku pulled away abruptly and sat up. "You have no idea how many times I've wondered what you felt about me, do you?"

"What do you mean, Ran?" Gin demanded, sitting up and trying to meet her eye. There was a note of concern in his voice that was very rarely present.

"I know I've told you before," Rangiku said, sighing as she pushed her tangled hair back behind her ears. "But I've loved you from the very first time I met you, when you held out your hand and smiled at me, but you--Aizen's not the only one who spent the past century trying to figure out what you actually felt about your family. You worked so hard on holding everything in that nobody's known what you felt, not him, not me, and definitely not you."

"Ran, everything I've ever done has been--"

"For me," she finished, staring into the space in front of her rather than trying to meet his eyes. "I know that now. I've known that for a whole two weeks. It would have been nice if I'd known it before, but it's ok. I get why you held back as much as you could; you were trying to protect me. At least you knew what you felt about me, even if no one else did, but what about Shiro? Did you know you loved him enough to die for him? Did you?"

Gin stared at her, helpless to find an answer to her question.

"I didn't think so. Just like you didn't expect that anger you felt last night when they targeted him. You weren't expecting it so you couldn't control it. That's the problem with hiding everything you feel. You can't control it if it actually manages to get out. Whatever you really feel, you're not prepared to deal with it." She laughed suddenly, but it wasn't exactly a happy laugh. "Guess I shouldn't complain. If you were better prepared to deal with your emotions we never would have gotten here in the first place." All it had taken was a single kiss to break his disinterested facade all those years ago. A single kiss had turned into sex in every empty and unclaimed space either the Fifth or the Tenth Division had, along with the oddest courtship combining casual friendship, nonchalant joking, and completely secret dating all the way out in Rukongai, along with a fee very public and confusing moments of possessiveness, culminating in a very obviously unwanted pregancy and last minute marriage.

Gin had had absolutely no idea what he was doing then, and Rangiku had the bad feeling that as far as acting on any sort of emotion was concerned that was still where he was.

"It's an odd feeling," Gin said slowly. "Not knowing what it is you feel about much of anything. It didn't matter as long as I was playing a part for Aizen. It was better not to try to think about, really, but now--I don't know, Ran. I really don't. I look at people I've known for years, and I wonder, do I like them? Would they like me--if I hadn't been treating them horribly for absolutely no reason at all for years?"

"You haven't been treating people horribly," Rangiku protested, or tried to, she didn't sound very sincere even to her own ears.

Gin smiled. "Now who's in denial? I've been a monster, found every last weak point of every single person I've ever met, and tortured them with them. Poor Kira's out there right now, being torn between his duty to me as my lieutenant and his devotion to Hinamori. He's absolutely miserable, and I know it. I did it to him on purpose--and I'm pretty sure I like him.

"But as far as hobbies go, I have to say I find it a great deal more enjoyable than drinking until I'm sick. If it's a choice between the two I'll stick with what I know. I'm pretty much the definition of a monster, a petty monster, I suppose, but I've also killed plenty of people, so there's that, too."

Rangiku raised her head to meet Gin's slitted eyes, waiting for the mask to drop. After a long moment, narrow blue-green eyes met hers, and all traces of the fox's smile left his face. "Is that what you want to be?"

He sighed. "Probably not."

"Well, that's good, because you're already an excellent husband and father, and don't argue with me, because I'd know better than you, and you are a good captain. You'll have to work on that sadistic streak; no one expects you to get rid of it entirely, but you don't want to keep winning the Seireitei Communications vote for most terrifying person in the Gotei to annoy. Ten years in a row is excessive."

"It's not my fault. It's all because of that anonymous letter to the editor about how some poor little moron accidentally served me dried sweet potatoes instead of persimmons and ended up being assigned to every miserable duty in the Gotei. After that, everyone started comparing notes on all the awful things they'd heard I'd done--"

"I happen to know you wrote that letter," Rangiku said. "And it's time you let Byakuya have a year. You are horrible, but you aren't as horrible as you needed them to think you were. Now you can let go of all of that. Stop being a monster for the sake of being a monster and figure out who you are."

"I know who I am, Ran. That hasn't changed since Aizen's gone, neither has what I want. How to get there is just a bit less clear. I thought I could play my part and stick by Aizen's side till an opportune moment came to end him, but it looks like I'm going to have to work with everyone else to get you through this safe. You're right. It doesn't help that I've spent the past century squashing down every feeling I possibly could. It was foolish to tell myself Shiro and the others didn't matter; they're yours. How could they not? And it appears I have a temper. I don't think you need to worry about it, though. Now that I know to expect it, I doubt it'll get the better of me again. My control is usually quite good after all."

A frown grew on Rangiku's face he spoke. She was beginning to realize that despite all her hopes to the contrary Gin's view of the universe had not shifted in the slightest; it still appeared to revolve entirely around her. "How can you know who you are when you don't even know how you feel about anyone outside your family? Or even how you want to interact with them? You have had no freedom to be anything but what Aizen wanted for your entire adult life--how can you possibly know?"

"Because it doesn't matter," he answered simply. "As long as I can live for you nothing else matters."

Rangiku didn't even try to fight the tears that escaped her eyes. She remembered the starving little boy who'd rescued her on a barren road in Rukongai, and the absolutely enormous smile he'd given her for accepting his help, accepting his offer of friendship. He'd been the one with food and shelter; she'd had nothing, but he'd always treated her like she'd given her everything. Was simple acceptance worth so much? "Someday, Gin, I think I'd like to see you live for yourself," she said, and then she added, "At least a little bit," when it looked like she might have hurt him. "I don't want to be selfish."

"Be as selfish as you want--"

A knock cut him off there and a very frightened sounding Kira called through the door. "Sir, I know I'm not supposed to disturb you unless one of the things on the list happens, but--"

Gin was up and at the door almost instantly, pulling it open only a crack for which Kira was very grateful.

"What happened?" Gin demanded, excitedly. As there were no alarms going off it had to be something quite entertaining.

"Kusanagi Taro-kun is here from the Thirteenth, and he says Captain Ukitake almost killed Captain Kurotsuchi--"

"And I missed it!" Gin exclaimed, sounding like he'd missed Christmas.

"What?" Rangiku shrieked, grabbing her kimono and yanking it on as quickly as she could.

She shoved Gin away from the door with a "go get dressed" and stepped out into the outer office.

"What happened?" she demanded, eagerly, of a young shinigami she'd never seen before.

The boy cowered back. "Lieutenant Ichimaru?" he said uneasily. His Kyoto accent was very like Gin's in the lilt of his words.

Rangiku sighed. Gin certainly was creative when it came to finding ways to get in with people, especially lonely people; a new recruit in the Thirteenth who didn't know anyone or feel like he shared any common ground—Gin could use that. She hoped he hadn't used the boy too horribly.

"That's me," she said, much more gently. "You came here to tell Gin what happened to your Captain? It he alright?"

"I think so, Lieutenant," the young man said uneasily. "Is Captain Ichimaru—"

Gin flung open the door, smiling hugely. "Hello, Taro-kun! Kira, what on earth are you doing here? Didn't we agree yesterday that you would spend your on duty hours protecting Lieutenant Hinamori? We cannot expect the Fourth to take care of everything on their own."

"Sir?" Kira said, sounding completely lost, and looking back and forth between his captain and Rangiku, who winked at him.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Gin asked. "Shoo!"

Then, turning his friendliest smile on the Thirteenth Division's young member, he said, "Now, Taro-kun, tell me all about it."


	52. Chapter 52

Lieutenants Hisagi and Ayasegawa were both somewhat relieved to part ways as they exited the Seventh. They had received their ordered from Captain Komamura and would begin immediate preparations to lead their divisions out into Eastern and Northern districts of Rukongai respectively. Both were dreading the assignment for different reasons, but neither had spoken. Instead they had shared an awkward and uncomfortable silence for the entire walk across the division.

Yumichika, for his part, was not really sure Hisagi seemed up to the task of leading an entire division as companies spread out across miles of countryside, hunting down murrauding hollows, but he wasn't about to say anything. They might be a part of the same group of friends, and probably drank together as a part of that group at least monthly, but they were definitely not close enough Yumichika could ask Hisagi if he felt up to handling things, only two days after enjoying a few hours with the Punishment Squad in an Inquisition. Yumichika missed Ikkaku; he'd ask anyway. He had absolutely no tack, and Hisagi's reaction to the question would be enough for Yumichika to guess the real answer, no matter what he might say.

But Ikkaku was still with the Eleventh, following Captain Zaraki, and the Captain had left well over an hour ago, the moment he learned what part of Rukongai his division was to be protecting. Yumichika wasn't surprised; he'd often been left behind at meetings to collect the details his captain wasn't interested in. He worried that the Eleventh might now be forced to rely on Yachiru's sense of direction and grasp of strategy to guide them. That really didn't sound good—but it also wasn't his problem.

Yumichika was on his own now, and after bidding Hisagi a vague goodbye, he turned toward the division that was now his.

The road to the Fifth was oddly subdued this morning. Even for a post Aizen world if felt off. As he walked past a food cart, a company from the Eighth paced by on high alert, scanning the quiet street, and Yumichika frowned. The Gotei was officially at war; nothing was going to be right again until Aizen had been defeated.

Yumichika paused as he entered the Fifth and directed one of the men there to have all the officers called in for a meeting immediately. He ignored the way the man looked at him, like he was some sort of interloper; he couldn't agree more that he didn't belong here. His greatest hope was that somehow Hinamori would recover and her name would be cleared. He would be more than happy to return to his old division and his old position. That it would be a massive demotion didn't bother him in the slightest.

The officers gathered painfully slowly in the small courtyard before the captain's office. Apparently this was where these meetings were always held. Yumichika wondered if that was actually the case or if they were messing with him, but he couldn't really make himself care. He didn't mind a meeting outside--just so long as they did their jobs.

At least, for the most part, they seemed to be listening as he shared the detailed instructions he had received from Komamura. The Fifth was not anywhere near the toughest division in the Gotei, but they were well trained. They should have no trouble following simple instruction.

But when he finished speaking, several officers exchanged uneasy looks, and finally the Eighth Seat, a young woman whose name he could not remember having only met most of them the day before, spoke up, "Sir," she said softly. "Did you not hear there is a meeting of the Four Great Houses being held this afternoon?"

Yumichika frowned. He couldn't see how that pertained to the orders he had given or to the division at large. Did the Fifth have some bigwig he wasn't aware of? There were quite a few minor nobles, far more than in the Eleventh, and he thought one or two might even have ties to the Four Families, but he couldn't see how it mattered. There was no Shiba Kaien or even Kuchiki Rukia, no one who might be expected to attend.

It would probably be rude to say 'so what' so he when with, "Is that a problem?"

The woman glanced back at the others. "There is some expectation," she said uneasily, "That some Gotei assignments may be adjusted due to information that is to be shared at the meeting."

Yumichika almost laughed. "You think you're going to get out of hollow hunting that easy? There's no place for special treatment in the Gotei. There's trouble out in Rukongai, and it's our duty to take care of it. No one cares if you're all top picks out of the Academy or even if you've got noble blood. You're going to get out there and fight, and risk your lives like every other shinigami in the Gotei—but if you learn to do it right, you can stay beautiful the entire time," he added with a graceful flip of his hair.

One of the officers furthest from Yumichika leaned over to the man next to him and whispered something. The aside was so low Yumichika was probably the only one who caught it. "Does the freak really expect us to think he's 'pretty'?"

Yumichika was in front of the man before he stopped speaking. He hit him with an open palm flat in the chest, and the officer went flying backwards into the wall ten feet behind him, breaking a nice oval hole through the wall and collapsing into a pile of rubble in the storeroom beyond.

"No, I do not expect someone as lacking as you are in personal appeal to be able to recognize real beauty, but I do expect that an officer Aizen picked should have the intellect to watch what he says around his superiors," Yumichika said, looking down on the officer with obvious contempt.

"As for the rest of you, I don't care about the Four Great Houses or their meetings. You have your orders, and I expect you to follow them. If you try to ignore them or avoid them or in any way delay the division's preparations I promise I have brought enough of the Eleventh with me to make every last one of you regret crossing me."

The officers exchanged looks.

"I would expect the Eleventh to be ready for an expedition like this in two hours. I would think that as well disciplined as this division is you could be ready in half the time," he looked them over doubtfully. "It appears I am going to be disappointed, but I can't say that I'm not going to enjoy watching you all experience a little retraining courtesy of the Eleventh. You have two hours."

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Hisagi had not noticed the change in Seireitei's atmosphere. He hadn't really noticed much of anything about his surroundings. He was severely hungover and anytime he allowed his thoughts to wander they went in more than slightly unpleasant directions, so he forced himself to go over the orders and every detail that would need to be attended to to prepare the division for such a major offensive. He was going over the number of pounds of rice per day that would be required for each company when he stepped through the gate into the Ninth.

"Lieutenant Hisagi," a familiar voice called to him. The division Fourth Seat Tendo Makoto was hurrying to meet him as he entered. "Sir, I heard that Captain Kyoraku is leaving this morning for the World of the Living, is that true?"

Hisagi stopped abruptly. He was rarely asked for information about the Eighth Division Captain. Most people seemed to have forgotten he had any connection to Kyoraku at all, or if they remembered, they would ask him if he could ask Nanao, or if Nanao had told him anything. The fact that the man was his adopted father seemed to have vanished from the collective consciousness.

"I believe so, yes," he answered, finally. Kyoraku had dropped by at breakfast to ask Ai-chan if she would prefer more toy tigers or perhaps a dragon for a souvenir, and he had left promising to return with both to add to her collection, along with at least one box of chocolate Pocky and one of strawberry.

"Then he is siding with the General, whatever the Four Great Houses decide," Tendo said, nodding thoughtfully. "And I assume you are as well, sir?"

Hisagi turned to meet Tendo's eyes. "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked, his voice suddenly like ice.

"I didn't mean anything," the Fourth Seat said quickly. "I'm with you. I'm Gotei first, Tendo second, but there are people saying there may be a split between the General and the Houses. It depends on what they decide this afternoon. I don't like it, and but it doesn't matter what I think. I'm nobody. They say Shiba-dono is for the Gotei, and is even friends with Captain Ichimaru, but Captain Soifon, they say she's had it with Captain Ichimaru and with what happened to Yoruichi-dono, and they think she may blame the General. It may be up to Captain Kuchiki, and nobody knows what he thinks. They never do, and he's barely spoken to anyone at all since Rukia-dono's return. But there's a lot of pressure coming from all the houses; a lot of important people are very unhappy about how things have been handled, heads of branch families and even elders. We're all just going to have to wait and see. We can't do a thing until they've made their decision."

"What do you mean, we can't do a thing?" Hisagi asked.

"No one dares make a move," Tendo explained. "They're all afraid of upsetting the Four Houses. Nothing but daily routine until their meeting is over. We're better off than the Third, though. I heard all of the noble members walked out today. They're waiting outside the Shihoin Palace, waiting to hear what they decide before they'll take another word from their captain."

"But the Eighth—" Hisagi broke off, realizing the answer before he'd even finished the question. If people were worried about upsetting the Four Great Houses then they would have nothing to worry about following Kyoraku or Nanao's orders, especially when they were to protect Seireitei from danger. Sending divisions out into Rukongai was much more likely to be something the Noble Houses might object to. After all, it would reduce the numbers available to protect Seireitei, and what did they care about the residents of Rukongai?

He swore under his breath.

"What's that, sir?"

Hisagi shook his head. The entire division was basically on strike until the noble houses sorted out this stupidity. That was just fantastic. So what was he supposed to do, sit alone in his office all day? With only himself and a bottle of sake for company? Because what he really needed was more time to remember voices shouting questions at him, questions he could barely hear over the sound of his own begging--his chest tightened as past pain tried to become present--he shook his head again.

"Fuck this," he said, and he shoved a clipboard piled withpaperwork into the Fourth Seat's hands. "Here are our orders. We need to be ready the minute the meeting's over? Think you and Third Seat Hashimoto can handle that? I was supposed to have a week's leave; I'm going to take half a day with my family. Send me a call when we're ready to go."

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The Eleventh left three hours after Kenpachi returned to the division. He never knew there were any problems. Ikkaku beat two nobles to a pulp, and then another ten or so people who were standing nearby and hadn't had anything to do with it, for suggesting waiting until the meeting of the Four Great Houses was complete. That was the end of the discussion.


	53. Chapter 53

Gin sat on a tiled roof well above the decorated parade of nobility making their way to the Shihoin estate where Yoruichi was hosting today's meeting of the Four Great Families. He'd never so much as bothered to watch before. Of all the people of Seireitei, the nobility interested him the least. It was, he had to admit, at least partially because they thought so little of him. What they might call good taste or judgement and others considered snobbery, seemed, to Gin, at least, to be nothing but willful stupidity. A person might not want to be friendly with a deadly snake, but most were careful not to purposefully tread on one. He'd met plenty of nobles over the years who had gone out of their way to, in one way or another, 'tread' on him. They had all paid for it.

The ones like Kuchiki, who were bright enough to leave him alone, he left alone as well--for the most part; living in a place where you could be one of the thirteen strongest people in the entire world and still being looked down on did grate on his nerves occasionally. At times like that he tended to make any and all nobles within his reach suffer a bit. He'd always thought it a great shame that Kuchiki Byakuya was not within his reach.

But Rangiku was rather brilliant when it came to Kuchiki, Gin thought, as he watched the Kuchiki entourage pass beside his perch. What a grand procession it was, with palanquins and even the servants in formal attire. The Kuchiki pride and wealth required a grand display; today the Head of House and most highly ranked members would be traveling to the Shihoin Estate. No one would doubt their family was of at least equal worth in power, wealth, and history.

Gin wondered for a moment if Kuchiki had brought his little sister with him, but the absence of Abarai's reiatsu made it unlikely. The lieutenant had probably stayed behind to watch over the poor, broken girl.

And her beautiful brother was on his own, forced to attend a meeting he did not care about, all the while pretending not to worry about Hisana's sister, who was probably the only person alive Kuchiki did care about.

That day Rangiku had told him off for abandoning his sister to her fate was probably one of Gin's very favorite days. It was the one and only time he had ever seen Kuchiki in pain; he'd seen less of a reaction from the man when a hollow managed to tear a hunk of flesh out of his shoulder. Rangiku's words had reached through that icy wall and forced Kuchiki to see exactly what he was with no excuses of honor or family pride, and made him face the reality of what he was doing, made him realize the cost of his arrogance. In that one moment he had not quite managed to escape from the pain that losing Rukia would be.

Gin smiled and leaned forward, wishing he could see into the palanquin. He smiled and waved just in case Kuchiki could see him despite his carefully chosen perch and the shielding cloak of reiatsu within which Gin had hidden himself. He had not forgotten Soifon had forbidden him from entering any Shihoin property uninvited. She couldn't possibly expect he would follow that command, but he figured that he should not, at least, draw attention to himself. It seemed only polite.

The next company was less interesting, and those that followed after were of so little interest that Gin debated between going back to the division and taking a nap. The nobility were so boring. They were painfully predictable. Everyone wore the nicest things they could afford, and used the most expensive means of transportation they could manage. Every moment of their approach yelled, 'Look at me! I'm important!" Like they were afraid people might forget if they weren't reminded constantly.

Gin perked up slightly when the Shiba family finally entered. Miyako had brought Ukitake with her, in a palanquin, no less. Gin doubted people would like that, a low ranking noble traveling with Lady Shiba in such honor, but it was probably the only practical way to get him here. After his little fight earlier he should probably be on his way to the Fourth.

Shiba Kaien was absent, but Gin was confident, after what his Thirteenth Division informant had told him, that Kyoraku would manage to get Shiba here before the meeting ended. Gin hoped his entrance would be last minute and dramatic, and really felt it was highly unfair that he was going to miss it. If Shiba timed everything just right, he could make what was looking like the usual dull meeting the talk of Soul Society for a decade.

There were huge issues at stake. It was why Gin was here. What was decided here could lead Seireitei into chaos if the more sensibly-minded did not triumph. Gin wouldn't be even a little bit surprised if some idiots were actually pushing for civil war, because that's what going after Yamamoto really was, in the end. Until Aizen was defeated and peace was regained, Yamamoto was the Gotei and Soul Society. Turning against him was turning against the rule of law in Soul Society. It was rebellion.

So that was why Gin was here, because if these idiots really were going to start a rebellion he was going to have his family out of this city and beyond their reach before they'd had time to make their first move. He didn't care how much Rangiku or Toshiro believed they needed to stand with the Gotei or how many innocent people he'd have to slaughter to get them out, there was no way his family was going to be threatened by an aristocracy pushed to violence by Aizen's lies and their own ancient prejudices and fears.

So no matter how boring their processions had been or how much more boring it was to watch the empty street after the meeting had begun Gin did not leave his perch. He stared at the closed gate and waited, only barely able to breathe through the tension that seemed to have permeated the entire city.

"Looks like they've got you scared, at least."


	54. Chapter 54

Gin smiled as he turned to look up at Shiba Kaien. The lieutenant of the Thirteenth was standing on the round tiles of the roof ridge just a few feet behind him. Kaien looked very unlike himself, not only out of uniform, but in the heavy silk layers of formal court attire. Even outside of work, Gin could not recall any time he'd ever seen the head of the Shiba house in silk, other than at his own wedding where, much to Gin's amusement, he'd kept tugging at his collar and readjusting his haori. He'd looked uncomfortable then; now he looked outright miserable.

"I must say, the hat is my favorite bit," Gin said, his grin growing even larger at the sight of the small black hat atop Kaien's slicked back hair.

Kaien started to raise his hand to adjust it and forced his hand back down. His eyes narrowed and a frown darkened his usually smiling face. "This is your fault," he informed Gin. "I could be spending my day assisting Kyoraku in an investigation of Karakura, but you had to go and tick Soifon off. You know how on edge they've all been since Aizen left. Why the hell couldn't you have knocked them out instead of killing them all? Then they'd be the ones on trial."

Gin shrugged. "I do my best to be agreeable. I know I've ruffled a few feathers, and I expect a few complaints. I don't take it personally-but that lot and quite a few other members of the Four Houses seem to have forgotten I'm a captain. I can't help it if they couldn't handle the reminder."

"You killed twenty-seven men," Kaien pointed out.

"Sets an example, don't you think?" Gin asked, smiling once more. "But you know we'd be here with or without me lighting the match. Aizen's spent years setting out all the kindling. I've never paid any attention to the nobles or I might have noticed. He'd been feeding them all sorts of little lies along with inside information on the Gotei for at least the past decade, probably longer. They were already ready to believe Yamamoto's against them. Nemu was meant to be the spark. Yamamoto's never considered her a genuine person, and she's nothing but property to Kurotsuchi. It was bound to get tense between them and Ukitake sooner or later, and what more proof do the nobility need that everything they believe about Yamamoto is true? He would deny a noble lady of her rights and freedom? Of course, they're all a bunch of hypocrites; I heard what they said when Ukitake married her, but now-Yamamoto wants control over the noble houses. He doesn't care about their ancient rights and freedoms. In fact, he considers them in his way. He's going to use this war to permanently shift the power over Seireitei into his own hands."

Kaien's frown deepened. "That's what Kyoraku told me," he said, nodding thoughtfully. "How many do you think actually believe it?'

Gin stood slowly. "I don't suppose more than fifteen percent, really. Another twenty would like to, and at least half are willing to use it to play for more power. Not many nobles like Seireitei without Central 46, and there are always plenty pushing for more power over the Gotei."

"Too many look back at the old days with longing," Kaien agreed. "Well, seeing as all the traditionalists are already plenty upset, how would you like to be the first commoner invited as a guest to a meeting of the Four Great Houses in nearly a century?"

Gin's smiled his largest and most fox-like smile. "That does sound like fun."

"Gotta follow the rules, though. You walk a step behind me, sit where you're told, and only speak when spoken to," Kaien said.

"Shiba-dono, I'm offended! You sound like you don't think I have any manners!"

"I'm sure your manners could be better than mine if you chose. I also think you'd like nothing better than to insult every last one of us, and I'm sure being in the same room with so many of the highest ranked men and women in Seireitei is going to be a great trial to your self-control."

Gin's expression suddenly became serious. "I spent nearly a century listening to Aizen plan the destruction of Soul Society including my Rangiku. I think I can hold my tongue at a meeting of a few self-important buffoons."

Kaien didn't argue. Instead he led Gin down to the road and to the main gate of the Shihoin estate.

The guards at the gate said nothing as they watched the pair pass, but their eyes were on Gin even as they bowed to Kaien. Even they knew Gin had no place at a meeting of the Four Families.

Gin had not before had much opportunity to visit the great palace of the Shihoin family. It was very different from Kuchiki's estate of wood and shoji, designed to be one with the exquisite gardens that stretched across acres within the high walls. Instead the Shihoin palace was a place of stone pavement and grand structures. It was not a place of perfect balance within a world of natural beauty. It was a fortress of power and military might. The head of the Shihoin House was head of the Stealth Squad and the Punishment Squad. It was tied by traditional closer than any other of the Four Families to the Gotei, and the design of their palace made that military pride obvious.

Gin was used to making an impact with his entrance, but the way the Hall of Meetings fell silent when he followed Kaien inside was a first. There was absolutely no sound as they crossed the great echoing space where representatives of the Great Families sat in a circle too like Central 46 for Gin's liking. Only one quarter of the circle remained empty.

The Fourth Family was absent. They were a secretive House. Gin had heard rumors that even among the Four Families few knew the name of the Fourth, and it was said that no one outside the family itself had ever seen the Head of the House. He wished he'd ever bothered to ask Kaien about it because at the moment, even with dozens of hostile eyes watching him, all he really wanted to do was ask if they'd been pretending a Fourth Family all this time.

He held his tongue and listened to Kaien apologize for his late arrival. Then he followed Kaien and sat where he was directed, being just as well-behaved as promised. He thought it was odd though that Kaien didn't mention him, and when others began to speak no one else mentioned him either. He'd never experienced being the elephant in the room before; it was a very strange feeling.

It didn't take him long to figure out why Kaien had brought him. The discussion was all very polite, beyond anything he'd ever heard before, polite, so polite that he had to pay attention or he tended to lose track of what they were talking about, but some of it was still very unpleasant. There were some horrible things said about the Gotei and various members, said in ways that made it near impossible to take offense. But the Shiba Family, with occasional unfriendly glances in his direction, held their tongues. To speak against him or even the Gotei was now next to impossible for Kaien's family. He had made his stance very clear by bringing Gin with him; Gin had become a symbol for the suspected conspiracy against the nobility. By bringing him Kaien showed he considered Gin a trusted friend and believed the conspiracy to be nothing but a fabrication. In the presence of the other families his own would not go against him. Such obvious disagreement within the family would bring shame upon the entire Shiba House.

With Kaien's position so clearly stated, the best the conspiracy supporters could hope for was a stalemate, and that they got nearly four hours later. Gin thought Kaien owed him simply for not falling asleep. So many careful speeches in a row was mind numbing. He was beginning to sympathize with Aizen's slaughter of Central 46 where the members had been just as dull and cautious with their words, and feel that he'd rather just kill the lot of them than wait for them to come to an understanding.

Shockingly, it was Kuchiki Byakuya who finally suggested the compromise. Gin guessed it was because he was as sick of the whole thing as Gin himself.

"Long before the time of Central 46 and the Gotei itself we of the Gotei held the responsibility for Seireitei," Kuchiki said in that oh-so-arrogant way of his. "We oversaw the shinigami in times of war and violence so that the Heavens would not be troubled. And even in these times Seireitei remains our responsibility. We should remind General Yamamoto that the burden of defense is not his alone, and we will not shirk from our duties. As Central 46 must wait to be restored, we will take its place and return to our traditional place of oversight. The general should be relieved to learn he need not shoulder the burden of war alone."

Gin had to fight hard to keep the grin from his face after that. It sounded to him like everyone was going to lose and that was just about perfect. He doubted even Yamamoto could refuse such a 'request' from the Four Families, not when it held precedent in tradition, and all the members of the families who had wanted to wrest power from the General would not get the chance either, because this 'oversight' was connected to such specific conditions, a declaration of war and the destruction of Central 46. It was a beautiful compromise, one that would make Kuchiki Byakuya happiest of all, as no one would be nagging him any longer to do something about the General and the Gotei. He could return to his planned revenge.

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I have gone over this section over and over. It's been driving me crazy for weeks. I don't feel like I know enough about post-anime Bleach to really do it right, so those of you who have read the rest and see how many ways I've totally screwed up please do your best to ignore it-but I do think the final compromise is very Japanese culturally, where political pressures and even basic group decision making all seems usually to end up much more often a consensus than run by any individual, no matter how charismatic or powerful a singular individual might be.

In any case, I'm just glad to be going back to what I think of as the real story. Politics are necessary in every culture, but no matter how clever I think other people do with them in books and movies, every time I try to write them I get bored silly and skip over them. I really had to force myself to just write this. It's necessary for why I'm going in the direction I'm going so I hope it at least makes sense.


	55. Chapter 55

Rangiku stared at Gin in disbelief. Toshiro's expression was impassive. What he thought of the Four Great Houses making demands of Yamamoto was impossible to tell, but Rangiku was close to horrified.

"But he-he gave them what they wanted?" She said slowly. SHe simply couldn't believe it. She hadn't thought anyone could tell the General what to do. It had never occurred to her until Rukia's trial that he wasn't the ultimate power in Soul Society. The Gotei was her life. It had felt all powerful. She had accepted that Central 46 could command him, but that the Four Great Houses might have something like equal power, it was a disturbing thought.

Gin was helping Yuki get a grip on a slice of pear that kept sliding across the table out of her reach. She'd started fussing at it in annoyance, and, unless everyone wanted to hear her scream, assistance was necessary.

"Gin?" Rangiku said. She was beginning to agree with Toshiro, watching Gin actually take care of children was weird. He actually had Kin-chan sitting next to him writing kanji, working on stroke order and properly forming the characters. At least he didn't look like he was actually enjoying himself, that would have been too much, but even seeing him trying to help out was hard to adjust to.

"More or less, once they'd worked it down to something reasonable. He's given them guarantees for the security of Seireitei. If at any time fewer than half the captains are here in the city he will be here to ensure their safety. There will also be at least three full divisions, the first, second, and at least one more, stationed here in the city, no matter how many hollows hit Rukongai. It's probably not much different than he had intended, anyway.

"They wanted to demand that the Heads of the Great Houses remained stationed in Seireitei, but the Heads, themselves, wouldn't hear of it. Shiba will be returning to Karakura tomorrow. He's missed Kyoraku's trip to all the best ramen shops in town, but he thought tomorrow might be the best Western style restaurants-I've heard French food is very good. We should go sometime."

"French food? In the World of the Living?" Rangiku said, momentarily distracted. "They make the best desserts! Unohana brings a new one every Chocolate Day!"

Toshiro made a face at the idea of Chocolate Day and the Women's Association invading his home and ate a slice of pear that had not been handled by the infant. "Are you and Kuchiki still going with Kurotsuchi to collect a hollow?" He asked.

"First thing tomorrow," Gin answered, flinching slightly when Yuki missed her mouth with the pear and stuck herself in the eye, but she didn't start crying; she just tried again. "He's decided to bring the equipment to Hueco Mundo, rather than try to transport an Arrancar back. A bunch of poor little R&D scientists are going to have come along to try to run the equipment. Going to be a bit of a pain, trying to keep them all alive. Kurotsuchi claimed he has some sort of barrier he can set up to keep them hidden, and Unohana's going to lend us Isana and Hana-do you know who that is? I thought it would be rude to ask. I'll probably bring my Third and Fourth seats to help with security. They're not too wretched. Need Kira here to keep an eye on you and Hinamori, and Abarai'll be looking out for Rukia-which reminds me, Ran, you won't mind having a few house guests while I'm gone, will you?"

"House guests?" Rangiku repeated in confusion. "Who would want to stay here?"

Toshiro raised his head. Now he looked seriously annoyed. "House guests?"

"You noticed we're beginning to be spread a little thin? You've got Shiro to keep you safe at night, but even if I can convince Nemu to spend her days here with you you're still a lieutenant short on protection. Kira's got to run the division at least part of the time, and there's not really anyone else available-except that I realized Kuchiki might be having the same problem, and he won't even have a captain to look after little Rukia-chan at night. So I suggested we might pull our resources. We could have Rukia stay here, and Abarai and Kira can take turns keeping an eye on the pair of you."

"Why wouldn't we go to the Kuchiki Estate? I can't believe Byakuya would even consider letting Rukia stay here, and there's no real reason-"

Toshiro cut her off before she noticed the distress that was starting to appear in his father's eyes. "I'm sure the Stealth Squad objected. They've been really embarrassed that that Arrancar was about to get past them. They've been working on more barriers to shield you. I doubt they want to move it all to the Kuchiki Estate and their guards would probably not like it anyway."

Rangiku sighed. She'd really been hoping she could finally get out of the Third. At least the Kuchiki Estate would be a larger prison. "Then Rukia will be staying here? Are you sure we aren't a little energetic for her at the moment?"

"I'm sure she'll be fine, and we'll let Abarai have one of the upstairs rooms in case you need help with her at night. It'll be fun having guests for a few days. I know you've been a bit lonely."

Rangiku grinned. "And you don't mind me having a young, attractive man staying with me here with you gone?"

Gin cocked his head to one side and gave her his very best confused face. "Why?"

Rangiku's smile fell. "You know, you could at least pretend a little jealousy every once in a while, just for the fun of it."

"If I ever had any reason to be jealous it wouldn't last very long," Gin answered.

Rangiku's smile returned. "You know that sort of thing is illegal, even for captains," she said.

"So I've heard," Gin agreed. "Awfully hard to prove without a body though."

Rangiku's smile only grew. "See, I knew you could manage a little jealousy."

"Could you two knock it off?" Toshiro groaned. "You're married. You really don't have to flirt anymore. And discussing hypothetical murders has got to be the most messed up flirting ever."

"Wouldn't real murders be worse?" Gin asked. "I've never tried that. Ran, would you be impressed by a murder or two, if they were people you really didn't like?"

"Oh, definitely," Rangiku managed to get out before she burst out laughing.

Kinta turned to his brother and asked, "What's flirting?"

"Grown-up stupidity," Toshiro answered.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Byakuya never looked happy, and Rangiku was used to that, but she thought he ought to try to pull together some sort of vaguely positive expression when he was bringing his sister to stay in her home. Instead, he was being quite insulting, looking around like he wasn't sure the conditions were quite sanitary or something.

He'd had servants bring Rukia's own bedding. Apparently her futons and blankets weren't good enough for a Kuchiki. Then they'd moved the stuff in her closet to make space for Rukia's, and they'd just sort of dumped it into an empty closet upstairs, which was fine for Gin's bedding and clothing, but when they started moving her clothes that was going a bit too far. She wasn't about to climb the stairs every day to get dressed. She wasn't thrilled to be sharing her room in the first place, although she did understand Rukia being unable to sleep without someone to watch over her, and obviously Byakuya wasn't going to let Renji do it. It still seemed like they could at least be considerate of her things.

While the moving in was taking place, Rukia was sitting in the front room watching Yuki nap in her swing. She seemed to be enjoying the calm, repetitive motion almost as much as the baby did, and her own eyes were drooping as she rested her head on the arm of the couch.

At least Kin-chan was out of the way. There was no way they would have been able to keep the whole ordeal calm otherwise. Toshiro had actually offered to take the boy with him to work. He said he guessed he could dump him with a free division member just as easily as his dad had done with him. Any of the top officers should be able to keep up with Kin-chan if they really tried. He just really needed to get some work done.

Rangiku sighed again as she watched Byakuya's servants dump her clothing into an old wooden box they'd found upstairs and shove it into a corner of her room. She supposed it worked. The boxes they'd brought Rukia's own clothing in were nicer though, and empty now, why couldn't they just have-never mind, it didn't matter. This was just for two or three days anyway.

Rangiku looked up at Byakuya, frowning his perpetual frown. "We will keep her safe," she said, abruptly. "You know that, right? Whatever happens, Rukia will be safe with us."

Byakuya's eyes shifted to her face. For a moment that was the only indication he gave that he'd heard her. "I would not leave her if she was in any danger," he said finally.

Rangiku smiled. "So you do trust us? Good. You should. Toshiro would-he would do anything to protect her while she is here with us, and so will I. Like I told you before. Rukia's all that's left of Hisana. I will use all of my strength to protect her."

"She's her sister," Byakuya said, abruptly.

"I thought so," Rangiku answered, looking back down the hall toward the open doors of the front room. "She looks just like her."

Byakuya nodded.

"I need you to do something for me." Rangiku said, forcing the words out before she lost her nerve. Asking Kuchiki Byakuya for something was a lot harder than telling him off. "Please. I'm keeping Rukia safe; I risked the judgement of Central 46 for her before, and I'm letting Toshiro protect her now, and I know he would-he would stand between her and death without a second thought, so please, I need-I need you to bring Gin back to us."

Byakuya continued to look at her with his unchanging expression.

"Please," she said, fighting to control her voice. "They must hate him there even more than everyone does here. Aizen must-he may need help, and I know Kurotsuchi won't care. All he'll be thinking about is his Arrancar, and Gin-he-I know you hate him. You thought he was worthless even before, and now-but he matters to us. The children need him. Even you know that children need their father-maybe you think they're worthless too because they're ours, more Rukongai filth, more-"

"They're not worthless," Byakuya interrupted. "Their father's strength and their mother's courage has already made Toshiro valuable to the Gotei. I do not doubt the other two will be as well, but I will not bring their father back for them."

"Please-"

"I will bring him back for you. I owe you for the kindness you always showed Hisana, and for all that you have already risked for Rukia. I will keep Ichimaru alive and see that he returns to you."


	56. Chapter 56

Fifteen Days after Aizen's Escape

Four captains in one place, Gin thought as he stared across the pale sand, an infinite sea of dunes, shining waves shadowed black, in the strange twilight of Hueco Mundo, a place where nothing lived except to die; it was a death trap, the perfect place for Aizen to reduce his enemies fighting power by a third. Gin sat on a lone stone and watched the dead world. Shinso was in his hand, already in shikai, ready for the fight he was sure would be his last.

But Aizen didn't come. Ukitake was here just for this; he would leave as soon as Kurotsuchi's shields were set. He held onto bankai, giving them almost a mile safe from the approach of any enemies, dissolving the small, mindless hollows that wondered close, while Kurotsuchi provided the shield that hid their reiatsu and kept them invisible from any watching eyes. Ukitake, always pale, was turning a sickly gray as he waited for Kurotsuchi to set a second shield. Lieutenant Kotetsu was standing behind him and kept her hand on his shoulder, doing her best to keep him from collapsing, but bankai twice in two days was clearly more than he could safely handle.

As soon as the second barrier was set he would leave. But Kurotsuchi's second barrier was vital. It was all that would protect his division scientists from any attacks that might come while they waited for the captains to return with a captive Arrancar. It should hold against any shikai at least for a few minutes, hopefully long enough for the shinigami to escape through the Garganta Kurotsuchi claimed he could build a gate to control.

The plan was too complicated for Gin's liking. He doubted anyone would escape no matter what they did, if their little camp was discovered by Aizen or any of the Espada. Even a fraccion would probably be too much, although Lieutenant Kotetsu was not completely useless. She might hold an Arrancar that small back long enough for a few to escape--if the gate actually worked as simply as Kurotsuchi claimed it would.

Gin sighed. They were doomed, and him doubly so. Kurotsuchi had talked Yamamoto into allowing him to implant a bomb next to his heart, just in case he decided to switch sides. The fact that he had managed to argue the trigger out of Kurotsuchi's hands, on the grounds that the scientist might decide he needed to test it out to see if such a bomb could really kill a captain, was no comfort. To be completely at Kuchiki's mercy was not much better. They had talked about a leash, but to Gin it felt more like a noose.

He was going to die here, and he knew it. He'd promised Ran he'd come back to her, and he'd even promised Shiro he'd be there for the final fight against Aizen, but he'd never been very good at keeping promises. There was nothing in this world that did not want him dead, and that included his supposed allies. It reminded him, unpleasantly, of his childhood, of the time before Rangiku. Everyone had wanted him dead then, too. He'd survived then just to spite them. He wished he could pull it off again. This time he had a reason to live.

He felt the shield go up and Ukitake's bankai end. He heard without really listening to the discussion that followed. He let the voices of the shinigami flow past him, not really caring. They had their duties and responsibilities, and he knew them all well enough to trust they'd carry them out. Not one of them would fail any duty without dying trying to complete it. Even Kurotsuchi would die for his science. Of course it made them more predictable of Aizen. What they really needed was someone Aizen couldn't predict, and, unfortunately, he was the best they had.

How to capture an Arrancar? Yes, he could probably get them into Las Noches undetected, if they hadn't already been noticed. There were underground routes through old construction, and he even knew which ones Szayel hadn't bothered to put camera on, the ancient paths hollows followed daily and Szayel found boring. They could get inside, but what then?

He'd done his best to remember the habits of the Arrancar he'd known, but he none had habits that were asking to be snatched, and were they really supposed to be able to catch one without it setting off any sort of alarm? How did you keep one from calling for help? Sure, killing one would be easy. He'd thought of any number of ways to kill off most of them. Some, like Grimjaw and Nnoitra and even Nell, he'd set against each other. There was a fairly good chance at least a couple would die, especially if Halibel got involved.

It really had sounded like fun once upon a time, but, now, what on earth was he going to do?

"Are you ready?" Kuchiki's cold voice asked for just a step behind him.

Gin sighed and sheathed Shinso before he stood up. Then he turned to Kuchiki and grinned. "Time to go hollow hunting?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Eleventh was enjoying their best mission in years. Everywhere they went there were plenty of hollows for all. Even the newest unranked members got the chance to fight hollows while the ranked members teamed up to fight Gillians and Kenpachi and Ikkaku enjoyed themselves slaughtering pseudo-Arrancar.

Unfortunately, there were also plenty of dead, more innocents dead and buildings empty than any, even Kenpachi, had seen before. Bands of hollows had scoured the distant countryside, massacring every living thing in every far flung farm and village.

Each dead village they came upon had the new members sick with horror, some of them even vomiting at the overwhelming smell of death. After the fifth or sixth village it was even starting to bother Ikkaku.

"Damnit," he growled as they walked down a silent road through a village where at least a hundred people had once lived. "We can't get ahead of 'em."

Kenpachi only grunted in answer.

"Bet Yumichika's got them evacuating the all the northern villages and shit," Ikkaku added.

"That what you want to do?" Kenpachi asked, giving Ikkaku a skeptical look.

"Hell, no," Ikkaku answered quickly. Then he added, "But I guess we got messengers or something that could tell 'em to get outta the way till we get 'em all taken care of."

Kenpachi turned to Yachiru, who was eating a sweet bun while perched on his shoulder. "Hey, we got messengers?"

"Mm," she nodded, stuffing the rest of the dessert in her mouth before answering. "Yep, they're pretty fast. Yu-yu made 'em train shunpo everyday. They're pretty sneaky, too, 'cause he figured they'd have to get past enemies without fighting. How boring is that?"

"Go look at a map or something and figure out where people might still be alive and send 'em to warn 'em. Can't have everyone getting slaughtered before we can get to 'em."

Yachiru frowned. "Make Pachinko-head do it," she suggested.

"He can't read," Kenpachi answered.

"I--" Ikkaku cut off his angry protest just in time. He was not about to become the next Yumichika. Let the lieutenant do it. She hardly did anything most of the time anyway. "S'right," he agreed. "Fucking kanji, who needs it?"

Yachiru's eyes narrowed, but she hopped down. "You're going to learn when we get back, Pachinko-head," she growled as she went to find somebody with a map.


	57. Chapter57

The cold, white dome and monolithic towers of Las Noches loomed against the empty sky. To Gin it felt, from the moment it had risen above the horizon, like someone must be watching from the walls. Even from such a vast distance they must be obvious; three black ants crawling across the endless desert.

Logically, rationally, he knew that the skill of three captains was adequate to hide themselves from any searching eyes, but all rational thought seemed to be slipping from his grasp. All that was left in its place was a sickening fear of Aizen, fed by a century of memories. Watching the monstrosities he had committed, even joining in them had been endurable because of the absolute focus with which he had held onto his goal, the destruction of Aizen, but, now, that goal felt out of reach, and all that remained was the sure knowledge of what would happen to him if he was captured here.

"We should go down," he suggested, suddenly. The idea was only partly inspired but the need to get out of view of Las Noches. He had also put together at least the pieces of a plan.

Kuchiki stopped abruptly and turned narrowed eyes on Gin. He looked like he could guess exactly why Gin was making the suggestion.

"You are suggesting the Forest of Menos?" Kurotsuchi asked. "I have no interest in Gillians, and I understand the more powerful Adjucas and Vasto Lordes prefer the surface. It would be logical to assume that Arrancar also prefer the surface. Is that not Las Noches? The home of the most powerful Arrancar? You said Aizen has made it his seat of power. Why would we go instead to the Forest of Menos?"

"The Arrancar get hungry," Gin answered. "Hunting on the surface takes time. A fracion in a hurry can take a trip down to the forest and fill up before his boss realizes he's gone. There are underground paths into the Nas Noches from the forest that are watched less carefully if we aren't lucky enough to catch somebody on a snack run; better than walking up to the front door, don't you think?"

Kurotsuchi looked at him doubtfully for a moment. "Considering your situation you are likely to favor the option of lowest risk. We will follow your suggestion," he said. Then he turned to Kuchiki, "Unless you have some objection?"

Kuchiki raised an eyebrow. "I do not see a staircase anywhere. How do you suggest we reach this underground forest?"

Gin smiled. "Hado 88? Anyone? I'd do it myself but I'm always getting the striking and shaking mixed up."

Kuchiki looked at him in disgust, and Kurotsuchi looked much the same. "They will let anyone be a captain these days," the scientist said. "First an incompetent with kido and then a child. Bankai is hardly the only skill necessary."

"Oi!" Gin protested. "Shiro's very good with all the kido; don't go lumping him in with me. Everyone knows I murdered and cheated my way to the top. Shiro's there on pure ability."

"He is quite unusual. I would have liked to have tested the extent of his abilities myself, but your wife refused on more than one occasion."

"If you hadn't insisted on calling him an experimental subject you might--"

"Hado 88: Flying dragon, striking heaven, shaking thunder cannon," Kuchiki said, extending his hand to the desert sand.

The blast of white power was nearly blinding, and the earth shook at the impact. Immediately the sand began rushing down into the hole the hado had cut in the earth's crust. All three captains slid downward. It was like riding down a water slide.

Then they were falling through the open cavity beneath the desert. Each easily escaped the falling sand to land on the tree-like pillars of the dark forest. Crowds of Gillians surrounded them, looming hungrily with their towering black forms and white masked faces, but the three captains made quick work of the nearby hollows and dropped quickly to the ground.

They each hid their reiatsu and moved out of sight before coming back together under the cover of one of the trees.

"And now do we continue in the direction of Las Noches?" Kurotsuchi added.

"In that case we might have done better to wait to descend to this place," Kuchiki said. "The going here will be much slower."

"But we might catch someone on the way," Gin pointed out, still smiling. He wasn't going to admit to Kuchiki, at least, that the sight of Las Noches had been scaring him silly. He'd rather fight a thousand Gillians than return to the surface. "The further out we are the better chance we have of not raising any alarms. If we trigger an alarm we'll have every bored Espada on us in minutes, and I'm sure none of us want that."

He looked pointedly at Kuchiki as he was fairly sure Kuchiki's main goal in coming was to slaughter as many of Aizen's Arrancar as possible on his way to fighting Aizen himself. He had to know he couldn't defeat Aizen, but, as far as Gin could tell, it didn't seem to make any difference to his resolve.

"As we agreed before we began this mission, the capture of an Arrancar is of prime importance. My binding will only hold it for a limited time, and it must be returned to the base camp as swiftly as possible. If necessary, I will leave you behind to slow any attackers after the Arrancar is captured."

"Whatever happened to 'no man left behind'?" Gin asked.

"I am sure, as a captain, you have the strength to protect yourself and find your way back alone," Kurotsuchi answered.

"Did you know you're almost as difficult to like as I am?" Gin told him.

"What use do I have for the feelings of others?" Kurotsuchi demanded.

"I find it difficult to believe that anyone has any positive feelings for either of you," Kuchiki said.

"You're awfully quick to judge for someone who hasn't smiled in at least half a century," Gin felt it necessary to point out.

"At least I do not terrify the entire Gotei with a false grin."

"Nah," Gin agreed. "You do it the usual way with all that glaring and threatening. I'm much more creative."


	58. Chapter58

Sending Renji off with three small children was more fun than it should have been. Rangiku didn't have nearly the experience with the new Lieutenant of the Sixth that she had with all the others. He hadn't even become a lieutenant until the month before she was out on bed rest, so she wasn't an expert at giving him a hard time, but he was so easy to read.

Nanao, Nemu, and Miyako had all come over to test the effectiveness of Nemu and Miyako's barrier, so Renji had to be gotten out of the way. Who knew exactly how cooperative he would be about a not exactly legal pocket dimension. So Rangiku had told him that he would be guarding the children and they needed to go play in the garden. Then she put the baby sling across his chest and made Yukiko comfortable and all his stuttered protests, first that the two lieutenants were supposed to be guarding the entire family at once and he was supposed to be watching Rukia in particular, then his desperate attempts to escape the pink baby sling and diaper bag, were so hilarious that Miyako and Nanao had to cover their mouths to keep from laughing out loud.

Rangiku ended up physically shoving him on his way down the path, telling him it was good practice for the future and not to forget Kin-chan knew shunpo before she finally returned to her friends.

Even Rukia was smiling by the time she hopped up to the porch, and she said, "Renji's such an idiot."

"I wish all of these men would stop worrying that we cannot protect ourselves," Nanao said. "The only reason Rangiku and I did not fight the Arrancar was because the children were too close by. We are both lieutenants and quite as capable as any of the men."

Rangiku had to agree. "If I'd had Haineko with me I would have challenged him," she said, gripping the hilt of the sword she now wore. Gin hadn't liked that. He didn't think she was up to any fighting yet, but that was his tough luck. He wasn't here.

"Certainly the three of us should be adequate to meet any threat, and if we were not I doubt the addition of the inexperienced Lieutenant Abarai would be enough to make any significant difference," Nemu said.

"I am grateful to Renji and Nii-sama both," Rukia said softly. "I do not feel adequate to meet any challenge. I feel very weak and unsure of my abilities. I have been told I have been without my proper reiatsu for half a year, but I cannot remember, at least, I do miss Sode no Shirayuki. I miss--I'm not sure. So many pieces are missing now, my memories, my reiatsu; I feel like I am only part of myself."

Rangiku frowned for a moment considering an idea she did not doubt plenty of people would object to, but in the end she decided she was probably right. " Sode no Shirayuki is here. How would you like to see what you can do with it?"

Rukia turned huge eyes on her. "My zanpakuto is here?"

"Rangiku, I'm not sure that's the best idea," Nanao began.

"Please," Rukia said softly. "I would like to see it."

Rangiku hopped to her feet and hurried from the room. Nanao turned worried eyes on the other women. "Do you think--" she said softly.

"Maybe Rangiku is right," Miyako said. "Rukia needs to remember she is not helpless."

She turned to Rukia. "You were one of the strongest shinigami in the division, you know. Your zanpakuto was the strongest ice type until Hyorinmaru. You should be proud of your strength and skill, even if right now you feel powerless. This is only temporary."

Rukia's eyes dropped. "It is very kind of you to say."

"I'm not just saying it," Miyako answered. "Your brother asked Captain Ukitake not to make you an officer because he thought it would keep you out of the path of danger. Kaien was very annoyed by that. He did not think it fair to keep you from advancing simply to keep you safe. You deserve to advance according to your skill just as anyone else would, otherwise you would not realize your own abilities, and we would have looked after you regardless of your rank. You are very precious to us."

"Because of Hisana," Rukia said softly.

"Maybe at first," Miyako agreed. "But now you are a very dear friend. We all care very much about you. I hope you realize that."

Rangiku reappeared then, holding the sheathed weapon in triumph. "I convinced Byakuya it's nearness might be comforting even if you couldn't use it," she declared. "But I think you should try to, at least try a simpler move, or if you'd like we could do a little sparring. I haven't gotten to use Haineko in months."

"And you're not supposed to for at least another week," Nanao said. "Honestly, Rangiku, do you have any idea how to take it easy at all?"

Miyako had watched Rukia's face pale at Rangiku's suggestion and spoke up, agreeing with Nanao. "You should rest, Rangiku. I know you say you're fine, but Unohana put you on bed rest for a reason. And you know if you hurt yourself your son will be afraid to leave you for a moment. He seems to think anything that happens to you is his responsibility."

"Fine, fine," Rangiku agreed and she set the sword on the table in front of Rukia. "You can touch in at least."

Rukia slid her fingers along the cool black sheath before setting her hand on the zanpakuto's hilt. Her eyes closed as her fingers wrapped around it, timid at first and then tightening suddenly. She opened her eyes and pulled the blade free. "It will take time for me to regain the strength to use you properly, but it is good to have you back, Sode no Shirayuki."

"I understand," Rangiku agreed. "I think I'd feel like I was missing a limb if I didn't have Haineko nearby. Not being able to practice when I'm pregnant just about drives me out of my mind."

"Not everyone is quite as attached to their zanpakuto as you are," Nanao said, coolly.

"Why don't you ever wear your zanpakuto, Nanao?" Rangiku asked, suddenly realizing she'd never seen the other lieutenant with any sort of weapon.

"Some things are none of your business, Rangiku," Nanao answered, in a tone that made it clear the subject needed to be dropped immediately.

Rangiku made a face but she turned back to Rukia. "Well, ready to give it a try?"

Rukia sheathed the silvery blade. "Maybe next time," she said, suddenly sounding timid again, and she forced the blade back into Rangiku's hands. "Thank you, Rangiku-san. Seeing it makes me hopeful that I will not always be like I am now."

Rangiku managed to smile back. "I'll put it up for later. Now Nemu and Miyako are going to have to show off this barrier they've constructed."


	59. Chapter59

Gin stopped abruptly as a Gillian fell to the ground. It was too far away to catch what had happened but those things never just fell down, and reaching out he thought he could feel a difference in the surrounding reiatsu. With so many Menos Grande surrounding them it was nearly impossible to be sure, but he thought there might just be an Arrancar nearby.

At least it wasn't an Espada. Their reiatsu was on a whole different level, and he would recognize most of them. He doubted Aizen could have collected an entire new set of Vasto Lordes to turn into Espada in the past two weeks.

A wave of pale pink petals rushed toward the towering Gillians that blocked his view and swirled around the black forms, shattering them almost instantly. He looked to his left to see Kuchiki had moved over a dozen yards away, closer to the possible Arrancar. He stood there with almost no expression on his arrogant face, watching as his shikai tore one after another of the Gillians to shreds.

Kurotsuchi was still standing near but he had also begun an attack. He was reciting a chant, Bakudo 61. "You who are crowned with the name of Man, wearing a Mask of blood and flesh, flying on the thousand fluttering wings, with Thunder's carriage and an empty Spinning Wheel, break the Light into six pieces, carve a twin Lotus on a wall of Pale Blue Flames, and await the Blazing Fires to reach the Distant Heavens."

By the time Gin recognized the target he had been caught in the six spears of light of Rikujokoro. It was Di Roy, and Gin almost laughed. They had been ridiculously lucky. They'd caught one of the weakest and least cared about of the fracciones. They could probably get him back before anyone even noticed he was missing.

Di Roy struggled pointlessly against the prison as the captains calmly approached. Kurotsuchi was already getting out the specially crafted cuffs that would help to keep the Arrancar imprisoned, and Kuchiki called back his shikai, sheathing Senbonzakura with the same calm with which he had drawn it.

Di Roy shouted threats and curses at them which were completely ignored. He tried to fight as Kurotsuchi added to the layers of his imprisonment, but it was futile.

He was already losing the will to fight, but when he saw Gin he went half-mad with fury.

"You! Ichimaru, you traitor! You coward! I'll kill you! Get this cage off me and I'll tear you to pieces!"

"How's that?" Gin asked. "There's a limit to the power the Hogyoku can give, you know. A weakling like you could hardly hope to challenge an Espada, no matter how generous Aizen was when he was giving out powers. You were an Adjucas, remember? I don't know what you think I am, but I promise I wasn't just a decoration Aizen kept around to look pretty. I've been learning from him for a century. I wouldn't even need shikai to end a little thing like you."

"Still so confident, Ichimaru?" A new voice asked, and Gin raised his head to see Shawlong Qufang perched on one of the treelike pillars of the forest. "You have had the power of Aizen behind you, protecting you all these years. What do you have now that we should fear you?"

On nearby pillars were every one of Grimmjow's fracciones, Edorad Leones, Yylfordt Granz, and Nakeem Greendina. Four different Arrancar who could call for help if they weren't stopped immediately.

Kuchiki looked calmly toward Gin and nodded.

"What's got all of you down here together?" Gin asked, curiously. "Is Grimmjow about somewhere or are you all skipping out together?"

The giant Nakeem dropped down to the ground. "We must destroy the traitor for Aizen!"

Gin and Kuchiki drew at the same moment; the commands, "Scatter," and "Shoot to kill," spoken at the same moment. Shinso slashed through Nakeem's chest as flower petals engulfed Edorad, Shawlong, and Yylfordt. Nakeem fell and shattered instantly. The other three attempted to dodge, but petals of Senbonzakura were inescapable. Soon they too had dissolved into sparkling dust.

"The subject is ready for transfer," Kurotsuchi announced, having ignored the additional fracciones altogether.

Gin turned to see the scientist gazing with satisfaction at the imprisoned Arrancar. Di Ray was trapped within a floating cube of yellow light, pounding on its walls, no longer even able to make a sound although he looked like he must still be shouting. At each corner of the cube was a floating metal disk, tying the barrier reishi in place. Although Gin could see the Arrancar and the prison cube, neither could be sensed at all. Kurotsuchi had created a prison that might as well have been invisible. No one would be able to track it, not once they lost sight of it. He'd never say so, but he was impressed.

Then, suddenly, a huge reiatsu appeared in the distance. It was growing quickly as it approached. So Grimmjow had been in the forest too.

There was a snarl and a shout, "Ichimaru! Come out and fight me! I know you're here! I can smell you!"

"Oh, well," Gin said with a slight sigh. Then he smiled. "That'll be Grimmjow. You two had better go on ahead. I won't be a minute."


	60. Chapter60

Rukia had done so well all day. Rangiku had been very pleased with herself and sure that her methods of therapy were far superior to Byakuya's. Why she'd even gotten Rukia to participate in a long conversation at dinner, but she should have realized it wasn't going to last.

Kaien came by just after dinner which was so nice because Rukia finally got to see that the fears that came from her broken memories of Tosen fighting her lieutenant were groundless; he had not fallen in her defense. That was good for her, but then Kaien had shared the reason for his visit and yet a few more hours delay to his return to the World of the Living. Captain Ukitake had barely made it back from Hueco Mundo. Lieutenant Kotetsu had rushed him directly to the Fourth, and Kaien had been told to bring Nemu there immediately.

Kaien had tried to laugh it off saying something about Ukitake's health being a bit of a two steps forward, one back progress but everyone had to remember he was much better than a year ago. Everyone had immediately agreed, and they all agreed there really was nothing to worry about, but the mood after he left with Miyako and Nemu was subdued. And Rukia had fallen silent.

Kin-chan was extra silly and difficult with guests in the house, and Yukiko was as difficult as she always was in the evenings, so Rangiku didn't have much time to notice how Rukia was doing. She was rushing about trying to get Kin-chan bathed and read to and into bed while trying to soothe a crying baby, and even when Toshiro finally got home and took over Kin-chan's bedtime story she was still walking Yuki around the garden singing to her for nearly an hour before the exhausted infant finally gave in and fell asleep.

It was close to ten when she finally made it back to the living room with a pot of hot tea--she would have preferred sake, but she was being nice to Renji who Byakuya had threatened with bodily injury if he found out he'd been drinking when he was supposed to be watching Rukia. So she brought a tea tray with green tea and sweet bean cakes and sank down to a well-deserved rest before bath and bed and looked over to see Rukia twisting her fingers in her short hair while Renji was trying to distract her with stories he'd heard from Ichigo of her time in the World of the Living.

"Why was my captain in Hueco Mundo, Renji?" she asked, and Rangiku could tell from Renji's expression that it wasn't close to the first time she had asked. "No one goes to Hueco Mundo."

"Don't worry about it, Rukia," Renji answered, looking up at Rangiku for help. "Leave it to the captains to take care of. You don't need to worry about it."

"But Captain Ukitake was hurt," Rukia said. "Kaien said he was."

"Nah, he just got sick," Renji answered. "You know how he it. Got his own room at the Fourth he's there so often. Nothing to worry about though."

Rukia nodded and for a few minutes she was sat silently twisting her fingers in her hair.

"But why would he go, Renji?" She asked again, just when Rangiki was starting to feel like she might be starting to unwind from a too long day.

Renji reached up to still her hand. "The captains have to take care of some problems, that's all. You gotta stop worrying about it."

Rangiku was horrified to see that in the time since dinner Rukia had managed to thin the hair above her ear twisting it around and around her finger and tugging out hairs as she twisted it too tight.

"I know," Rukia agreed. "I'm not worried. I--I know. The captains can take care of it. I keep getting confused. I feel like--I don't know. I'm sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry about. You're fine," Renji answered, but he kept hold of her hand.

Rangiku felt terrible. They'd been avoiding causing Rukia this kind of distress by keeping her from any of the current events. She had forgotten most of the earlier fighting, and had been left with only the faintest shreds of memories that Renji and Byakuya had explained as simply as possible. They had avoided any mention of Aizen or Hueco Mundo, instead allowing Rukia to blame Tosen for what she seemed to think had been some sort of insurrection. She did not remember her own conviction or sentence or even her imprisonment. Byakuya had even told her the reason Kaien had been defending her had been because of her weakness due to giving Ichigo her power and not because she, herself, was the target. And they had not told her where Gin and Byakuya were going.

It had all seemed somewhat foolish to Rangiku until now. She could see how much the idea of anyone going to Hueco Mundo was upsetting Rukia. Clearly on some level the girl was being reminded of her own nightmare trip to the world of Hollows. Some tiny remnant of a memory was being triggered. Any shinigami would think going to Hueco Mundo wasn't the best of ideas, but it was hard to worry too much when the ones going were captains.

"Rukia," she said gently. "How about I wash your hair, and you take a nice soak in the tub? It really is a lovely tub. RD designed it to be like a hot tub from the World of the Living; that's a sort of artificial hot spring."

Rukia dropped her eyes, looking down at the table while she spoke. "Thank you, Rangiku-san, but I've never really liked hot springs. I won't need a turn in the bath."

"She's not going to leave you on your own," Renji said softly.

"Of course not," Rangiku said with forced cheerfulness. She'd turned down Byakuya's offer to host Rukia's maid as well. Rukia could not handle more than a couple minutes on her own and she'd had a maid taking her to baths and sleeping in her room and dressing her, basically taking care of her like she was a small child. Rangiku had figured she could handle it since she already had a few of those, but at the of the end of the day when she was already exhausted it was sounding like a lot bigger pain in the neck. "Come on. You can soak in the bath while I give myself a proper spa treatment. I haven't bothered to do anything for my skin since Yuki was born."

In the end Rukia gave in and took a bath, and it did seem to calm her down. She stopped twisting her hair and mentioning Hueco Mundo every few minutes. And when she went to bed she fell asleep after only a few minutes. It seemed like the first day might have been a success.

Until three o'clock in the morning when Rukia woke up screaming. Then Yuki started screaming, and Rangiku even heard Kin-chan startling awake in the next room. If it hadn't been for Renji and Toshiro, Rangiku herself might have joined in.

She could hear Toshiro calming his brother down, and Renji appeared almost instantly. He had to have been sitting up waiting for it he arrived so quickly. He rushed through the dark room to Rukia's side and caught hold of her, letting her sob against his chest as he told her she was alright and nothing she had seen was real. Rangiku left him to it, too busy quieting the baby to worry too much about Renji or Rukia.

At least Yuki didn't take too much convincing to agree to nurse back to sleep, and after a few minutes the only sounds were Rukia's gradually fading sobs and Renji's reassurances.

Rangiku was soon wishing she could fall back to sleep as quickly as Yuki because Renji and Rukia seemed to have forgotten she was there. A gentle kiss on the forehead that Byakuya probably would have objected to but really was perfectly acceptable shifted quickly to some pretty intense and clearly practiced kissing. She was torn between being impressed that they could pull something like this off right under Byakuya's nose and the hope that they weren't planning on taking things any further because she really would have to interrupt, and that seemed like it would be pretty awkward for everyone concerned.

Fortunately, Rukia finally broke away. "I'm sorry I'm such a coward," she said, turning away from him.

"Now who's being stupid?" Renji demanded, catching hold of her arm and trying to pull her back. "You've been through a lot. It's ok to be scared when bad things happen to you."

"Why do you bother with me? I'm not worth it. So I got hurt; a lot of people got hurt, didn't they? Even Nii-sama. They're not having nightmares and crying all the time. I'm just weak."

"Don't say that!" Renji jerked her back against him and wrapped his arms tight around her waist and shoulders, so tight she could barely move. "Don't ever--"

Rukia cut him off with a terror-filled gasp of "No!"

He released her instantly and she scrambled away in a panic, stopping only when she reached the wall. Only when she turned back and looked at him did her terrified expression shift to horror and grief. "Oh, Renji, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so stupid and crazy. I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm so, so sorry."

"I'm sorry. I scared you. I shouldn't have--"

"No, it's me. I'm broken, everything is broken. I need to remember."

"No, you don't," Renji protested. "You don't, Rukia. You're going to be fine. Just let it go."

Rangiku sighed as they went back and forth, Rukia desperate to remember and Renji desperate to stop her. It made Rangiku miss her own angsty romance. She was too used to Gin being absent to feel really lonely, but still, she really wished he could finally reach a place where he could always be home, safe beside her.

"I don't care if you stay, Renji," Rangiku said, finally, "But you need to shut up. Yuki's going to be waking me up in a couple hours for breakfast."

Both young people fell silent abruptly. Then Renji scrambled to his feet apologizing. "I'm so sorry, Rangiku-san. I forgot--I mean--I shouldn't--I--"

"Shoo! I want to sleep," Rangiku informed him and turned her back to the pair.


	61. Chapter61

Shinso passed though the Espada's shoulder, effectively pinning him as it continued another twenty feet into a towering pillar. Grimmjow was caught on the blade, and Gin grinned as Grimmjow's finally saw him and realized how foolish he'd been to rush in announcing his presence before he knew where Gin was.

"Looks like I've caught myself an Espada," Gin said pleasantly.

"You think you've caught me, you coward?" Grimmjow shouted back and he raised one hand.

Gin barely had time to dodge out of the way of an enormous cero, unfortunately freeing Grimmjow as Shinso returned to its original form.

"Well, that wasn't very friendly, was it?" Gin said after most of the pillar he'd hidden behind had dissolved.

"Since when were we friends?" Grimmjow demanded. "Come out and fight me, Ichimaru! I've always wanted to know how strong Aizen's little pet was."

"Pet? Oi! You're the kitty cat, not me!" Gin pointed out, dodging quickly as another cero smashed into what was left of his shelter, only to have one after another pillars hit as he took cover behind him.

"I'm no house cat. I never hid behind any master! I stand by my own strength! I'm nothing like you, shinigami!"

Gin was gradually drawing Grimmjow away from Las Noches and the other captains. The last thing he needed was another Espada to notice the ruckus and join the fight. And who knew how far Szayel had extended his camera network since Gin had last been to Hueco Mundo. He'd gambled that the scientist would still find the Forest of Menos unworthy of his attention, but one never knew. He was just lucky it was Grimmjow he was fighting, and the Espada was unlikely to consider any ulterior motive to any of Gin's actions.

"Ichimaru, you coward! Stand and fight me!" Grimmjow shouted. "You fought the others or are you so weak and cowardly you took them all out by sneak attack?"

Gin sent Shinso rushing back at Grimmjow, but the Espada managed to dodge, and a Gillian yards behind him burst into a cloud of sparkling light before the blade returned.

Gin barely dodged the next cero. That was a definite lacking in Shinso's attacks. They required a direct line of sight which meant that to attack Gin had to be visible to his opponent. It was an unfortunate flaw in an otherwise perfect shikai, but that's why you had to be fast.

"Damn you! Is running the only thing you know how to do?"

"You have to admit I'm good at it," Gin answered, sending back another strike without even bothering to look. The following crash told him he'd hit at least one of the towering trees, how nice.

Grimmjow abruptly appeared in front of him, swinging down his sword, but Shinso returned in time for Gin to block easily.

"Oh, are we doing this now?" Gin asked as he blocked swing after swing. "I hate to break it to you, but I'm also quite good at this. You're going to have to be more creative."

So he said, but he wasn't about to give Grimmjow a second to go to his released form. That might require bankai to counter, and he couldn't risk the chance, however slim, that Szayel could get a recording. Even fighting Grimmjow, who was far closer to a match in strength than he really liked, he could not forget that Aizen had far nastier servants. He couldn't risk any of them learning his bankai if he might have to face them in the future.

But, damn it, Grimmjow was strong. He'd no sooner knock the Espada back with Shinso than Grimmjow was sending another cero in his face, and even if he could keep smiling after not quite dodging the last one, it had hurt like hell.

"You've ruined my haori!" he protested as he dived at Grimmjow once more, attacking as quickly as he could because the Espada had too obviously been trying to buy enough time to shift forms. "It was brand new. I've only had it a week. I know Aizen doesn't mind you ripping up your uniforms but the Gotei isn't nearly so forgiving."

"Stop playing around, Ichimaru, and fight me for real!" Grimmjow growled back. "I want to see a captain's bankai. It would make fighting you worth the effort. Show me the strength that made you Aizen's right hand."

Shinso which had one minute been blocking Grimmjow's sword, shrank to the size of a dagger and reextended through Grimjow's stomach, but Gin didn't quite dodge in time and Grimmjow managed a solid hit to his upper arm before he jumped back out of the way.

Very stupid and not at all good. Now his left arm was all but useless. He shouldn't have tried to show off, even if Grimmjow looked to be in some serious pain now. "Strength? Oh, I'm about average for a captain. Give me the right circumstances and I could probably take most of them out, but, otherwise, I'm afraid I wouldn't do too well one on one. I think Aizen was keeping me around for my winning personality."

There he grinned hugely. Then, with the abrupt speed of shunpo he was behind Grimmjow and flinging Shinso out again.

The Arrancar managed to dodge, mostly. Now he too was bleeding from his upper arm, but his right rather than his left so Gin counted that as a win as Grimmjow spun around to face him.

"That and my willingness to stab people in the back," Gin added as he blocked Grimmjow's furious swing.

It was ridiculous how much force he was able to put into a single slash with half the muscles severed in his upper arm. His rage seemed to have more than made up for any loss in physical strength.

"You're all games, aren't you, Ichimaru?" Grimmjow demanded. "I don't play games. I fight for real, to the death!"

"But even so, isn't that still a game?" Gin asked. "If I win your soul goes to Soul Society, and if you win I'm reborn as human--unless I've been really bad--I wonder if Hell is for evil souls, too, or if it's only humans who are judged. I suppose I'll find out one day. That's an unpleasant thought."

"Maybe you should be focusing on this fight!" Grimmjow snarled, and the cero he released, a brilliant blue, slammed into Gin's chest, sending him flying back into a pillar.

For a second Gin's vision went black and when he opened his eyes Grimmjow was pacing toward him, an enormous and very unpleasant smile on his face. "You're weak, Ichimaru," he taunted. "You're not worth my time, but I'll bring you back to Aizen. There's a lesson or two he'd like to teach you."

Gin's blood turned to ice at those words. A fight to the death was one thing, but he couldn't be captured. That couldn't happen. He'd kill himself first. Images of tortured souls, not only Rukia, but so many others, including so many shinigami devoured by the failed hollowfication experiments, all flashed through his mind, freezing him in place.

Then, suddenly, Grimmjow's chest burst open in a flood of pink flower petals. The near infinite blades tore through Grimmjow's chest before engulfing him in a tornado of pink. It was the beauty of cherry blossoms turned into a murderous nightmare, and this was closer than Gin had ever wanted to be.

One last time Gin swung Shinso out, slashing through the flower petals and the Arrancar's neck.

The pink whirlwind exploded outward and the flower petals retreated, leaving the bloodied, fallen form of Grimmjow in their wake.

"What were you doing?" Kuchiki said icily as he sheathed Senbonzakura.

Gin spat out some blood and got to his feet, trying to seem casual and not at all in pain. "Oh, I thought I'd buy some time for you and Kurotsuchi, seemed more fun than helping him transport his new toy."

"It is slow going," Byakuya admitted. Then he added, "You almost let that Arrancar kill you."

"Don't be silly. I have plenty more tricks up my sleeve," Gin answered. It was true; he did. He hadn't been trapped at all, except by his own fears. He was beginning to realize Aizen had been playing with head just as much as with Hinamori and so many others. He hadn't learned loyalty or trust or absolute adoration, no, he'd learned fear. He feared Aizen more than death, more than losing Rangiku, more than any nightmare he could imagine, but the fear wasn't rational. Aizen was only a man. No matter how he talked of transcending God he was a man; he could be defeated. He could die. Gin needed to remember that. "It would be pretty sad if the Fifth Espada could kill me."

xxx Author's note xxx

I have been scouring the Internet for some time trying to figure out an Espada timeline because the fact that Nel was an Espada years ago means there was a timeline to the collection of Espada before Aizen ever left Soul Society. The best I found for the time of Aizen's move to Hueco Mundo is this:

#1 Barragan, #2 Harribel, #3 Ulquiorra, #4 Nnoitra, #5 Grimmjow, #6 Zommari, #7 Szayel, #8 Aaroniero, #9 Dondori, #10 Yammy.

Much thanks to those who worked this out by paying way more attention to things like hairstyles than I ever managed.

I also have been trying to figure out how strong Gin is. It's impossible. No one agrees. Even when I found a power chart that rated Gin as 80% across the board my daughter pointed out that if it was a test he'd never show his actual strength and the 80% was probably the perfect score not to attract too much attention. Fans think he was strong and hiding it; non-fans think he was weak, so I'm just going to go by the fact that he held his own with Ichigo and figure he must be somewhere around there. I'm much more interested in how he deals with enemies intellectually anyway. I love the fact that he never stops talking and never acts like any fight is serious no matter what happens. He treats fights more like psychological games than battles of strength, so that's how I'm going to treat them.

I hope you enjoyed this one and will enjoy any future conflicts as well :)


	62. Chapter62

Gin had just managed to stop the bleeding from his arm when he was hit by a sudden, enormous reiatsu. Kuchiki immediately turned his head and his eyes widened, and Gin could sense his bloodlust like it was a physical thing. Kuchiki had come here to kill, and kill he would until he ran out of enemies--or he died.

"We have to be leaving now," Gin said, forcing that same cheerful tone. He recognized that reiatsu. It belonged to an Espada with an uncutable Hierro, Nnoitora, the only Espada with a bloodlust to match Kuchiki. This was a fight he really, really didn't want to see. "Won't be any use to Kurotsuchi if we spend all night fighting, will we?"

"If it's already aware of us we should kill it before it can report back to Aizen," Kuchiki answered.

If Nnoitora knew they were there chances were fifty-fifty he'd heard the fighting and decided to join in or Szayel had alerted him to their presence. Either way, Nnoitora's Pesquisa was such that he would already know their number and their strength. The chances he didn't know Gin, himself, was here was worse than his chances had been with Grimmjow. "We should lead him further away from Las Noches," Gin suggested, wondering if they were fast enough to really outrun him. Leaving Nnoitora wandering in the Forest of Menos searching for them really sounded like the best outcome for this night. "He'll chase us, and I promise you, I know him, he won't call for backup."

Kuchiki turned narrowed eyes back to Gin. "You are afraid to fight this one," he said. It was not a question.

"Well, not afraid exactly," Gin said, scratching his head casually. "He's a bit more like Kenpachi than I'd really like. With someone like that you really want to pick the venue and, you know, set everything up so they're dead before they know it's you that attacked them. It's really the best way to handle that sort."

Kuchiki looked disgusted. "Again I wonder how you made captain."

"I have the brains to know when to run," Gin defended. Then he added, "And now is one of those times. If we're discovered by Las Noches it will be no time before someone notices Kurotsuchi, and he won't be able to get his new toy to his science division. The whole mission will be shot. C'mon, Kuchiki, sometimes you gotta run to do your duty."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sixteen Days

"Renji," Rangiku called out, stopping the lieutenant on his way to the Sixth. Kira and Nemu were in the house with Rukia and the children, and they were nearly at the edge of the garden. They wouldn't be overheard.

"Rangiku-san?" Renji said, avoiding meeting her eyes as he turned back.

"Look, I'm practically the spokesperson for young love and romance in the Gotei," she told him, trying to be as kind and gentle as she could. "And I know how much you love Rukia, that you've loved her for years, probably even before the Academy. I'm on your side. I am."

"But?" he asked, daring to meet her eyes for a second before he blushed and looked away.

"But you have to know this is not a good time," Rangiku said. "Even ignoring what everyone else is going to think, and it's going to be a shitstorm of awful if anyone finds out, and there's no way Rukia could handle that, but even ignoring that, you've got to know it's still a very bad idea right now. Rukia barely knows who she is at the moment; she's in no state to start a romantic relationship. She may love you; I think she does, but right now all she can do is need you. You're the only person she knows she can depend on. She barely has a relationship with Byakuya, but she knows you. She's known you forever. You're her anchor in a sea of chaos, and she's going to do whatever it takes to keep you around. You can't build a relationship around that. Whether you mean to or not you're taking advantage of her."

"I would never--" Renji began, but Rangiku raised an eyebrow, and he fell silent.

She watched the young lieutenant curse under his breath and kick a mad clod into Kin-chan's already muddy pond. He looked absolutely miserable, and she knew she wasn't in any position to judge him. She'd been stupid and desperate and manipulative catching the man she loved. Before they were together she'd paraded dozens of boyfriends in front of him, let him believe she was sleeping with every last one of them, and she didn't even care if she broke any of their hearts as she chased after Gin. She'd wondered more than once, when she was feeling like a particularly awful person and wallowing in self recriminations, if she'd subconsciously failed that kido on purpose, just to force Gin marry her. She was pretty sure she'd just been bad at kido back then, but she still wondered.

"What am I supposed to do?" Renji demanded. "I can't--if she wants--I--"

His face had turned as brilliantly red as his hair, and Rangiku couldn't suppress the smile at such obvious embarrassment. "It's good to see it hasn't gone very far," she said. How there were so many innocent lieutenants was beyond her. Didn't they realize the life expectancy in the Gotei was less than a century? They could miss out on so much if they didn't just act. Oh, well, it was for the best this time. "It'll be ok. I'll just make sure I'm around all the time and as long as you don't forget I'm in the room that should put a halt to anything objectionable."

"Sorry about that."

"And you can tell her that I've threatened to tell Byakuya if you don't keep things cooled down when he gets back. I don't mind being the bad guy. She doesn't need me like she needs you. She can hate me and love you, and she can have all the time she needs to recover without feeling like she needs to do anything more to keep you. How's that sound?"

"Like I'm really going to owe you. Thank you, Rangiku-san. I know I deserve a lot worse."

"Don't we all?" she said cheerfully. "You're keeping my family safe. The least I can do is not get you murdered by Byakuya, don't you think?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ichimaru Toshiro left Seireitei in the midmorning. He hadn't liked the feel of the city. The shopping districts were painfully subdued, with only a few people, servants of noble houses, he guessed, and the lowest of the noble families, those who hung onto their noble lineage in near poverty to remain in Seireitei, out doing necessary shopping. No one was out for fun, and he saw no shinigami except those on duty running patrols. The restaurants and bars that served the Gotei were closed.

The Gotei was at war and every person in the city knew it. The usual work shifts that left thousands of young men and women with hours upon hours of free time every day were over suddenly. Instead they were doing fourteen hour shifts, in Seireitei, on the walls, in the city that surrounded Seireitei, and four full divisions were completely gone. They wouldn't be returning to Seireitei until the countryside was cleared. The city felt empty.

But outside the walls was completely different. Toshiro was used to people very nearly running away anytime he was in Rukongai. He'd nearly always been with his father before he became a captain himself, and the presence of any captain had an immediate effect upon the people of Rukongai. Some were obviously outright terrified, while others looked upon them with an awe bordering on worship, but they were all nervous and on edge. They did not trust shinigami, and Toshiro really couldn't blame them.

Why would shinigami come to Rukongai except to chase down Hollows or criminals? And when they did collateral damage was all to common. It seemed to him that something should be done about the shinigami relationship with the inhabitants of Rukongai, but he was also aware he was unlikely to be the one to make it change. He was a captain, a child, and he had white hair; all three facts made people even more likely to stare and even less likely to trust him.

But today, while the people did move quickly to get out of his way and stare just as much as usual, the busy street did not empty. Toshiro was quick to realize why. Most of the people who stayed on the street were loaded down with heavy bags, overflowing with food and clothing and household items. They were refugees. They had nowhere to hide from him. They probably had nowhere to go at all.

He scanned the group quickly, looking for someone who might be some sort of leader. They all looked so pitiful, lost and frightened, but, surely someone had to have the guts to speak to him.

His eyes stopped finally on an old man dressed slightly better than the others, a village headman, maybe?

"Where have you come from?" he asked, taking a cautious step toward the man.

The man's eyes widened and he took half a step back. "We are from Aomura, Most Honorable Captain," he answered with a bow. "A shinigami from the Fifth Division warned us there were many Hollows coming in our direction and commanded us to leave our homes immediately. We did not mean to make trouble for the Honorable Captain, but we have not yet found any place to stay."

"Couldn't you make some sort of camp on the outskirts of the city? There haven't been any attacks for miles, and the entire Sixth Division is setting up an outer perimeter. You will be as safe as anyone here."

"We would never doubt the generous protection of the Great and Powerful Gotei, Most Honerable Captain," the headman said, making Toshiro almost nostalgic for the times when everyone had called him Shiro-chan; 'Most Honorable Captain' along with the rest of the man's language was a painful level of obsequies. "But there are already so many people camped there, we thought we might find lodgings further into the city as we have some funds to rent more humble abodes."

In other words they didn't want to camp out with a bunch of peasants if they could help it, Toshiro thought. He wondered how many refugees could possibly have gathered on the outskirts of the city.

"Then I wish you good fortune in your search," Toshiro said, nodding his head politely, before he shunpoed away, in a hurry to get a look at the supposedly already crowded refugee camps.


	63. Chapter63

Kurotsuchi stopped again and set a barrier around himself and his prisoner. Every half of the entire walk back he was forced to stop to readjust the prison. As he had expected, the Arrancar would not stop attacking the complicated set of barriers and shields and he would have to feed reishi to each to repair the damage. If Nemu were here he could simply have attached her to the cage, and she would have constantly fed the thing with her own reiatsu like a reishi battery. It was one of the many things he had designed her for.

He had to be much more careful not to overwhelm each complicated kido. After all, he'd never bothered to learn to do it himself; it would have been a waste of time and energy for them both to become experts at such a specific task. It was annoying to have to waste so much time on it now.

At the moment, however, he was much more irritated with his supposed escort. They were not much of an escort if they did not do any escorting. He did not need to be wasting so much of his valuable time dealing with Gillians when he was already having to deal with the transport of the Arrancar. The two fools had been gone for hours. It seemed highly unlikely the Arrancar that had come after Ichimaru could have slaughtered both of them. Ichimaru, alone, possibly, Kurotsuchi doubted the fox-faced captain had many skills that would impress in open combat, but Kuchiki, he was adequately skilled in kido, and his bankai was also adequate to most tasks. He, at least, should have returned.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Toshiro wasn't sure if they could really call this as a captains meeting. There were only five captains present, and Ukitake was currently coughing up blood. He was trying to be discreet about it, but blood soaked handkerchiefs just weren't discreet. He obviously wasn't going to be having much input in the meeting, even if he had dragged himself from the Fourth to attend.

Then there were Unohana and Soifon, neither who spoke up particularly often at meetings. There was himself, but even if he did have opinions he was well aware that the General was still working to get past a 'children should be seen and not heard' mentality. He had told Toshiro many times that he was very intelligent and extraordinarily talented. In fact the General seemed to think he was quite impressive, but he still had trouble listening to Toshiro's opinions.

So what was the point of meeting at all, Toshiro wondered. He supposed it was a reasonable method of keeping them all informed, but seeing that Soifon was running a major investigation trying to track down the last of Aizen's minions, Unohana was working short-staffed with so many of her own division out assisting the divisions in the field, and Ukitake about ready to collapse, was this really the best time to be dragging them all in for meetings?

"We have received an initial report from Captain Kurotsuchi," Yamamoto announced. "The team successfully captured an Arrancar, and it has been returned to the base camp for study."

"I hope we will be bringing everyone home soon," Unohana said. She had not been enthusiastic about the plan from the beginning and Toshiro was not quite sure how she had been persuaded to send her lieutenant and Hanataro both with the team. "I will be glad to see them all safe in Soul Society once more."

"Kurotsuchi does not expect his tests to require more than twelve hours," Yamamoto answered. "However there has been one minor hitch to the plan. After the Arrancar was captured an Espada discovered Ichimaru's presence--"

"What?" Toshiro broke in, unable to hold back a shout. Shouldn't this have been the first thing the General told them?

Yamamoto turned cold eyes on Toshiro for a moment before he continued. "Ichimaru hung back to confront the Espada while the others began to transport the prisoner away, however when he did not rejoin them immediately Kuchiki went after him. That was over eighteen hours ago.

"Kurotsuchi was able to transport the prisoner alone without interference from any other Arrancar so it can be assumed that Aizen still does not know of any captain's presence in Hueco Mundo, which gives us every reason to believe that both captains are safe but chose for some reason not to return to the base camp. They may be being pursued by a particularly determined Espada or there may now be something between them and the base camp that they are being forced to circle around."

"What happens in twelve hours?" Toshiro asked, forcing any emotion from his voice. People didn't take upset children seriously at all. He'd figured that out a very long time ago. His mom always thought he was hiding his feelings like his dad but he'd really just figured out it was more practical to remain calm. "If they haven't returned by the time Kurotsuchi completes his tests, do we have a plan to go after them?"

"There is no reason to believe that will be necessary, but," Yamamoto continued. "If they should be delayed I understand that either of them would be able to activate the garganta gate Kurotsuchi has installed--even after he and his division members have returned to Soul Society."

Toshiro nodded. He wouldn't bring up the idea of a rescue mission now, not before he knew it was necessary. He couldn't imagine why Kuchiki had gone back for his dad, but he was glad he had. No one would be interested in rescuing Gin, but the head of the Kuchiki House would have to be retrieved no matter the cost.

"General," he said, abruptly switching topics. "I went out into Rukongai this morning to check how Abarai's doing setting up an outer defensive line, and, while the Sixth seems to be doing well, I'm not sure they are going to be adequate for the job. There are refugees flooding in from all over the countryside and even outer districts as people hear the stories the refugees are bringing with them. There are dozens of camps set up along the edges of the city, and I saw many refugees in the city setting up camp wherever they found some free space. I even found small camps against the walls of Seireitei.

"Aizen has managed to instill a huge amount of fear in the common people in a very short space of time, and frightened people, crowded so tightly together could easily lead to violence. I would suggest we increase the number of patrols, possibly with companies from the Third, as they have not yet been assigned any specific tasks, within the city outside the walls. An increased shinigami presence should help the people feel safer and discourage violence among the them."

"There is no reason the entire Third could not be assigned to that task," Unohana said. "I am sure Lieutenant Kira would be up to it, and we will still have five full divisions to preserve the security of Seireitei."

Ukitake spoke suddenly. "We are being stretched to our limits. Every move Aizen makes forces us to react, and makes it less possible for us to take any direct action against him. I cannot help but feel he is buying time to prepare the Hogyoku. Every day I feel more certain Toshiro-kun's first instinct was correct. Aizen needs this time. We do not. We need to find a way to take the offensive."

Toshiro could see from the faces of the others that he wasn't the only one who was surprised. Ukitake simply wasn't the sort to suggest an attack. He was always the one to speak of caution and careful planning.

"I would like that better than waiting," Soifon admitted. "Guarding the walls is not what my division is trained for. Stealth requires patience, but it's purpose is to find the perfect moment of attack, not defense. This watching and waiting is a waste of our skills."

"However we are stretched to our limits," Unohana said. "The Fourth can only back up so many divisions at once. I do not have the manpower to support another battlefront, certainly not one in Hueco Mundo, if that is what is being suggested. My experienced medics and officers are all already in the field."

"Then Aizen has succeeded if his intention was to force us onto the defense," Yamamoto said. "We can only fight so many battles at once, and Seireitei cannot be left unprotected. It is unfortunate but as things stand now we are limited to reacting."


	64. Chapter64

No one had reported back from the company Yumichika had sent into the northwestern mountains, not since early last night. They also hadn't heard from any refugees from that direction. This was the Fifth Division, not the Eleventh; they didn't get busy fighting and forget to send in reports. Not one other company in the Division had failed to check in, and the only one that had been delayed had lost half their members in a particularly bad fight against a nasty pseudo-Arrancar Yumichika had spent the rest of the afternoon hunting down.

Yumichika was tired of guiding around a bunch of frightened and inexperienced Fifth Division pansies who didn't even know the proper formation to attack multiple Hollows, much less a Menos Grande. He really didn't want to drag them along now. They were beat up and exhausted, and they'd whine the entire time.

He scanned the empty horizon one last time before turning back to the small company of shinigami that had taken over an abandoned farmhouse for a base of operations.

"Yakino," he called out, having finally learned the Eighth Seat's name.

The girl looked up from her half-eaten dinner, and her expression looked so like the way they always looked at him in the Eleventh when he decided to single someone out for extra duty that it almost made him feel at home. "Yes, sir?"

"You're in charge till morning. I'm going to go see if I can find the Green Company. Make sure to set a double watch, and if you're attacked try to make sure you at least manage an organized retreat."

The girl hopped to her feet, looking indignant. "We have set out three levels of kido barriers around the camp, Lieutenant Ayasegawa, sir. There is no reason we should not be able to hold out until morning, regardless of the attacker. My only concern is your safety, going into dangerous territory alone."

Yumichika smiled at that. Apparently a few of these Fifth Division kido users had some pride after all. They should. Aizen had trained them well. They'd be pretty effective if they weren't always cowering in terror--just because they'd never seen a Menos Grande before--and maybe because they didn't trust him enough to be sure he wasn't leading them all straight to their deaths. After he'd had them all run laps around the division for the entire meeting of the Four Houses and then set out on an eight hour hike into Rukongai without a break as soon as they'd heard how it ended they'd pretty much all decided he was a sadist. He wasn't worried about it.

"I'll be back by dawn. If I'm not, call back the other companies and head for Seireitei. Got it?"

"Wouldn't you want us to come after you?"

"Absolutely not. I don't mind dying, but I think it would be embarrassing if my entire division was slaughtered after I'd been lieutenant for only three days. I'd hate to leave that kind of a MEMORY in the Gotei. It's the sort of thing people remember for centuries."

The girl smiled for the first time since he'd met her. "I understand, sir," she answered. "I will keep the men alive."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I never realized Nnoitra was so persistent," Gin said, as he and Kuchiki took a short break from running in the hollow of one of the giant trees.

Even Kuchiki was getting tired. He could tell because the other captain had stopped slaughtering a Gillian or two every few minutes just because he could and stuck to suppressing his reiatsu like Gin. It probably wasn't nearly as much fun, but, after running for well over twelve hours even, he needed to conserve energy.

"We are well beyond range for it to call for assistance. Surely we can take it out now," Kuchiki said.

Gin frowned and looked down at his left arm. The bandage he'd wrapped around it was gradually turning red. Basic field healing wasn't designed to hold past twelve hours. He really thought captains should be required to be better at this sort of thing. Even Kuchiki had only a rudimentary knowledge of healing kido. And neither of them could patch up the damage that last cero to the face had done. Sure, a couple hours rest and he'd be fine, but after running at top speed for hours, the pain was only adding to his exhaustion.

He wanted to tell Kuchiki to have fun while he sat back and watched, but he wasn't entirely sure the thousands of tiny blades of Senbonzakura could cut through Nnoitra's hiero. If Kuchiki wasn't able to take out the bloodthirsty maniac alone, Gin wasn't sure he'd be much help.

"I suppose so. Be nice if we had someone from the Fourth here with us. Not sure how wise it is to get both of us injured so far from the gate. Leave a trail of blood the whole way back. Be pretty easy to follow if anything notices."

Kuchiki's eyes narrowed, and Gin realized he'd seriously ticked off the other captain. "You assume this Espada can harm me?" He said, icily.

"Well, last I heard he was Number Four, and I did say he's like Kenpachi," Gin answered. "He lives for the fight and hits like a twenty ton truck. You can't attack him head on without expecting to bleed a bit before your done. Since he managed to get rid of Nel I planned to set him on Halibel if I really needed to kill him. Let someone else have that fight."

"Then I will take this fight," Kuchiki answered, stepping out from their shelter. "You may hide if that is your preference."

"It's up to you, but don't blame me if he messes up your pretty face."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yumichika reached the mountains before he sensed it, a large company of Hollows surrounding a few Menos Grande, probably Adjucas level, all circling a suppressed reiatsu he could still read as equal to captain level. None of the reports he had seen before suggested anything like this nor had he seen anything similar. The rampaging Hollows he had run across had been disorganized, chaotic, and unceasingly violent. More than once Gillians had turned on the Hollows they traveled with when souls weren't available. It was, in Yumichika's experience, how Hollows behaved. This was something else entirely.

He should leave and report what he had found. That was the responsible thing to do. He might have found some sort of command center and the Gotei needed to know that, but he had been the Fifth Seat of the Eleventh for nearly a century. He couldn't leave without confirming his suspicions at the very least.

He worked his way through the forest of tall pines carefully. The lack of ground cover beneath the thick canopy was both good and bad. There wasn't much cover from Hollow eyes that could see far too well in the dark, but he could move absolutely silently with no tangled underbrush to climb through.

A flash of white was his only warning. Yumichika barely spun around in time to catch the swinging claw of a Hollow with the blade of Fujikujaku. It was a massive creature, vaguely insectoid, with the triangular skull of a preying mantis and that insect's massive scythe-like claws.

"Die, shinigami!" It screamed before bringing its second claw down, aiming for Yumichika's throat.

Yumichika jumped back and commanded, "Bloom, Fujikujaku!"

The blade had split before he even landed.

Then the Hollow was on him again, swinging its claws, every time at his throat. It was only a one move nasty and Yumichika quickly had its attacks down. One quick dodge and slash, and the creature lost one arm.

He was about to take out the other when a cero from behind forced him to dodge to one side. Then he was dodging long teeth in bonelike jaws, and just as he blocked that, waving tentacles rushed at him from the opposite direction, and he realized he was surrounded by Adjucas. Shouts came with the attacks "Another shinigami !" "I want this one!" "No fair hogging it to yourself!" emphasizing just how much danger he was in.

A quick burst of shunpo got him out of the middle of the fight and maybe a second or two before they were all on him again. But, although they started to give chase, they all stopped suddenly and stared.

Yumichika spun around, barely in time. The reiatsu of a captain hit him at the same moment Fujikujaku blocked the blow of a zanpakuto.

He was knocked back twenty feet and barely managed to stay on his feet.

As he raised his head his eyes widened. "Captain Tosen?" he gasped, realizing today really wasn't his lucky day.

The blind ex-captain frowned slightly. "Are you one of Zaraki's men? Third Seat Madarame's partner?"

Yumichika raised his head proudly. He didn't appreciate being forgotten, not even by someone who couldn't see and appreciate his beauty. "I am Ayasegawa Yumichika. I was Fifth Seat of the Eleventh, but I am now the Lieutenant of Division Five, and, ex-captain or not, I will gladly defeat any traitor to Soul Society, especially one who brings such hideous creatures to destroy it."

"I do not betray Soul Society," Tosen answered. "It is the Gotei that has betrayed Soul Society. Its power has grown into corruption. All kinds of evil are allowed in its name. I will do whatever is necessary to cleanse Soul Society of its stain. It is too bad so many young and brave shinigami have been deluded into serving the Gotei's cause and now must die. But like those I have encountered before you, I will give you the option: leave the Gotei and join Aizen's forces, and I will show you mercy."

I'd rather die than join an army that creates so much ugliness," Yumichika answered, thinking of the dead strewn streets and destroyed houses of all the tiny villages he had seen in the past two days. "And I'm afraid being around so many Hollows would make me sick. You can't see them, but that's probably why you don't mind using them. They are all quite hideous."

"If the superficial is all that matters to you then there is no place for you in the future of Soul Society. We will create a better world. A world where truth and justice are the only beauty anyone has need of, and injustice will be shunned by all, as thoroughly as you shun ugliness."

For the first time in well over a century, since before he had met Ikkaku, Yumichika considered running. He knew he was no match for a captain and unlike Ikkaku going out in a blaze of glory really wasn't his plan—unless of course someone was there to see it. One did want to die a beautiful death. But this, trying to fight a captain, surrounded by hollows, with absolutely no one to see and share the story, what was the point? He wouldn't even be a beautiful corpse after they'd gnawed on him.

At least at a captain's hands it should be a quick death. That was something."You're just jealous you can't appreciate the world's beauty," he taunted, hoping to end the speech and start what was probably going to be an embarrassingly short fight. But at least no one was watching.

Tosen crossed the distance instantly, swinging his zanpakuto almost to quickly for Yumichika to block. He parried a few blows before Tosen caught him with a shallow slash across the shoulder. Then after a couple more he took a jab to his left arm.

Tosen jumped back out of the way when Yumichika tried, "Hado 31: shakkaho!" And the blast went wide.

"Kido from the Eleventh? I'm surprised," Tosen said. "I thought Zaraki taught kido is for cowards."

"I'm with the Fifth now," Yumichika answered. "We love kido."

"Then try this," Tosen answered. "Hado 63: Raikouhou."

"Bakudo 44!" Yumichika shouted, throwing up a barrier barely in time. It shattered under Raikouhou's fierce blast and he was thrown backward as the current tore through him.

He landed at the feet of one of the Adjucas, barely conscious, and looked up at its hideous, leering mask. His hand tightened on his zanpakuto. "Ruri'iro Kujaku," he said softly. "Tear in Frenzy."

Vines reached out to engulf the startled Hollow, twisting around it as it tried to fight them off.

Yumichika slowly got to his feet. The other Adjucas were backing away from him as their comrade continued to struggle. They were watching Yumichika with the first signs of fear he'd seen so far. This was something they'd never seen before, and they weren't sure how to deal with it.

Even Tosen was watching. He could have attacked Yumichika easily, but he seemed content to wait.

"You're not only a kido expert, but your shikai is also a kido attack," Tosen said. "Why do you give your loyalty to the Gotei when you have been wasted for so many years."

Yumichika reached out to a flower as it bloomed, absorbing the Adjucas's reiatsu and its life. It shattered into a cloud of sparks. "It is a beautiful shikai," Yumichika admitted, turning back to Tosen, every injury healed and his energy more than restored. "But a fight to the death is far more beautiful!"

He leapt forward to attack Tosen once more. Now he could keep up, holding his ground against the captain as their swords clashed over and over again. Tosen used shunpo to attack from every side, but still kept up, dodging the captain's attacks with equal speed.

But his energy couldn't last; it was a stolen strength, and he was burning through it quickly. He glanced at the audience of Hollows but he knew Tosen wouldn't let him pull that trick again.

Finally Tosen hit him hard enough to knock him back again and leapt up into the air. "I am sorry, new Lieutenant of the Fifth, but I have wasted enough time on this fight." This time he called his own shikai. "Suzumushi, nishiki: benihiko."

He turned the blade in a wide circle, leaving a ring of swords in its wake.

Yumichika knew it was pointless but he called up Sekisho once more as the blades rained down.

As the dust cleared Tosen dropped to the ground and approached the fallen shinigami. He was pierced many times over by the swords and lay still in the dust.

There was nothing left but pain and a strange, overwhelming exhaustion that Yumichika knew would soon lead to unconsciousness, and death would follow close behind. He wasn't even aware of the captain's final approach. But then, a sudden power pierced his fogged mind. A far distant reiatsu, powerful and familiar, was coming fast.

He smiled and forced his eyes open, looking up at the captain towering above him. "Captain Zaraki is coming," he whispered, and the last of his strength left him.


	65. Chapter65

Gin flinched as Nnoitra managed to smash through Kuchiki's shield of flower petals and brought his massive weapon into Kuchiki's side before the captain shunpoed out of the way.

Kuchiki sent the wave of Senbonzakura in a whirlwind around the Espada, but when it cleared Nnoitra was laughing. He took the blue flames of Soren Sokatsui in the face for that. He'd given Kuchiki enough time for the full chant, and the blast knocked him back.

It had been nearly ten minutes of back and forth, and both were looking worse for wear, but Kuchiki was taking the brunt of it. Senbonzakura did not do enough damage with each blade; only when he managed to focus every petal on the same point did it pierce Nnoitra's hiero, and Nnoitra was too fast to let him pull that off more than once. Nnoitra was bleeding from a pretty bad chest wound that he'd been too arrogant to dodge, but since then most of the damage Kuchiki had been doing was high level kido.

Kuchiki was mostly able to dodge Nnoitra's attacks as well, but he'd taken a couple shallow wounds when his shields failed or his kido took too long, and one deeper wound across the chest at the beginning of the fight before he'd realized what he was up against. They'd both paid for their arrogance.

Gin still stood concealed as he watched. He wasn't sure what he should do. He didn't like his odds one on one against the Espada, but he doubted Kuchiki would want help. He'd probably rather die than accept Gin's help, but it wasn't like he was doing well on his own.

There was a sudden enormous explosion, and Nnoitra was thrown back into a pillar. Gin smiled. Not many people could pull off Hado 88 during a fight.

But then Nnoitra was standing up and brushing off dirt. He looked pretty bruised, but he was grinning. "Not bad, shinigami," Nnoitra said. "You may be worth fighting after all."

He raised his enormous weapon and it began to gather golden reishi. "Santa Maria, pray!" he commanded and with a burst of reiatsu the Espada transformed.

His injuries were gone and he suddenly had four arms, all holding scythes.

As he leapt forward Gin lifted Shinso. "Bankai, Kamishini no Yari!"

The blade pierced the Espada through the back, interrupting his attack on Kuchiki long enough for the other captain to dodge the multiple swings.

Nnoitra turned immediately, a vicious smile on his face as he called out, "Ichimaru, are you finally ready to fight?"

But at that moment the world seemed to shift. They were still in the Forest of Menos. Kuchiki was still only a few yards from Nnoitra with Senbonzakura swirling around him, and Gin was still a hundred yards back, half-hidden at the base of a pillar. But, suddenly Kuchiki was encased in an iron cage, and Aizen, with Ulquiorra a pace behind him stood between Nnoitra and Gin.

Nnoitra abruptly returned to his earlier form and dropped to one knee. "Aizen-sama," he said, bowing his head.

Gin's eyes went to Kuchiki, who now believed himself to be imprisoned. He dropped Senbonzakura, probably didn't even know he'd still been holding it, and the zanpakuto became a katana once more. He believed he was completely trapped and the way he was hitting the bars that weren't even there with kido, and ignoring anything beyond the cage, he probably couldn't even see them. They were beaten.

"So Gin-kun, in the end you will join a fight for a friend," Aizen said, in the same indulgent tone with which he had always addressed Gin.

Gin sheathed Shinso and stepped out of his hiding place. Then he walked forward with a huge smile to conceal the choking fear. "I don't know about that. Really couldn't say that I've ever cared for Kuchiki, but when Nnoitra is on your tail you do whatever it takes to stop him. He's not much for distinguishing between friends and enemies."

"You're no friend of mine," the Espada hissed, and Gin saw his hand tighten on the shaft of the enormous double moon-like weapon. "Aizen-sama, if you would allow me--"

"Well, I suppose I should have tried harder to make friends then," Gin said, interrupting Nnoitra. "Don't think any of you Espada really like me, do you? Maybe should have brought you all some chocolate or something--do Hollows like chocolate? Everyone in Soul Society--"

"Gin-kun," Aizen said softly.

Gin managed not to flinch though his heart nearly stopped. "I suppose I owe you an explanation, sir," he said, looking sheepish. "After that bit of madness at Central 46? Turns out you were right. I love the boy, love my whole family, seemingly. Took old Kyoraku to point that one out. Didn't think I was one for feelings, but I'm told you can have them without being 'aware' of them, and I'm not very self-aware."

"Is that so?" Aizen said, watching Gin with a calm Gin found completely unreadable.

"Well, I've always known I've a bit of an addiction to Ran, was always trying to get over it like those poor humans with all their chemicals. It's a terrible weakness, and thought I'd go cold turkey when we came here, but then I went and panicked when Shiro challenged you. I couldn't let him die, the price to save him didn't even matter. It still doesn't, not for any of them, even the baby, and I know how foolish that sounds," Gin said, completely honestly. It didn't seem like the best time for trying any new lies. He was trapped, and he knew it. "But you already knew that, didn't you? You knew that would break me. That's why you offered to bring them here--I'd take you up on that now, if the offer still stood. I know the Gotei's plan, and I know enough of yours to know yours is the side to be on. They've got me pretty well tied up with Ran and the babies under guard, and now this." he gestured to his chest. "Got a nice bomb planted in my heart courtesy of Kurotsuchi. I'm kind of surprised Kuchiki hasn't detonated it already."

"He sees you imprisoned next to him," Aizen told Gin. "He seems willing to believe you are an ally for now, however he may decide allowing you to be questioned is not worth the risk. You've never been particularly loyal."

Gin smiled at that, the same enormous smile that always accompanied such statements, but somehow that statement wasn't as amusing as it had once been. Maybe it was because he knew he'd lost his chance to kill Aizen, but all he could feel was a sense of absolute desperation. He knew he wasn't on any side anymore. He'd do whatever it took to get his family through this, kill anyone, sell anyone out, whatever was necessary. Knowing that was even worse now because he now also knew he did actually like and even care about many of the people in Seireitei. It just didn't matter. "I'm afraid loyalty doesn't mean much to cowards like me. I'm mostly useful to those who terrify me. And you are the most terrifying person I've ever met."

Aizen smiled. "This new honesty is entertaining, Gin-kun, but don't expect it to buy you too many more hours. I have less interest in your games than I once did, and many more things to occupy my time," he turned away. "Come along, Gin-kun, and we will see how long you can entertain me. Ulquiorra, see to the prisoner."

He added the last as an afterthought, but the Espada bowed with utmost respect, and said, "Yes, Aizen-sama," before he turned to Kuchiki.

Nnoitra, however, looked furious at having been ignored and glared at Aizen's back, clearly considering the idea of picking a fight--but then again, Gin remembered Nnoitra looking at everyone like that. He might not even feel insulted, he might just be wondering if he was strong enough to challenge Aizen.

He wasn't, so Gin turned his back and followed after his master.


	66. Chapter66

17 days after Aizen's escape

Yukichika opened his eyes slowly. He was somewhat surprised to find he was still alive. He'd been pretty sure he wasn't going to be waking up again after that. Trying to fight a captain had to be one of the stupidest things he'd ever done, and waking up, even in massive amounts of pain, was a very pleasant surprise.

Enormous brown eyes suddenly cut across his vision, far, far too close for comfort. They were sparkling with happiness. "Yu-yu's awake!" Yachiru declared. "Silly Yu-yu! Trying to fight Captain Tosen! You should leave the captains to Ken-chan!"

She finally backed up, still smiling hugely. "Ken-chan went after him, but he got away, so Kin-chan killed most of his Hollows. A few of them got away while Ken-chan was chasing Captain Tosen 'cause Pachinko Head had to go get our healer and I had to keep you from bleeding to death. You looked pretty awful, Yu-yu. You should be embarrassed. You didn't even look a little bit pretty. You still don't."

"She's right there," Yumichika heard Ikkaku's voice and his eyes shifted from the tiny lieutenant to Ikkaku sitting just a little farther away. There were other shinigami moving around beyond the pair, but everything was somewhat blurry, hopefully a temporary lingering effect of the fight. "You look like complete shit."

Yumichika flinched at that. "Why are you even here? Did you all get lost again?"

"Pretty much. We were wandering around in the mountains killing stray hollows" Ikkaku admitted. "Then the Captain sensed Tosen's reiatsu, and we came straight here. What were you doing, trying to fight him on your own?"

"One of my teams disappeared out here. I had to find out why. I left my division behind so I wouldn't lose them, too."

"Oh!" Yachiru declared excitedly. "We found your men! They were coming to look for you, but they ran into one of the Adjucas that were trying to escape. They had all kinds of kido shields to protect themselves, but they couldn't kill it with kido, so Ken-chan killed it for them. Then he told them to go back home so he wouldn't have to keep rescuing them. These mountains are full of Adjucas so they said to tell you they would be at Nemuimura waiting for you and they did send a messenger back to Seireitei just like you told them to. They said to make sure to tell you that so you wouldn't get angry. They were pretty worried you'd get angry at them. How'd you make them all afraid of you?"

Yumichika couldn't think of anything. He might have yelled at a couple here of there, but never when they didn't deserve it, and he'd sent a couple of idiots who were going to get everyone killed back to the base camp where they couldn't hurt anyone. He'd also made everybody run for a while when somebody complained about being tired or wanting a break, just because they were on the move eighteen hours a day--nothing they hadn't done all the time in the Eleventh.

"They're just a bunch of babies. They want to be coddled all the time," he answered. The Fifth Division members hadn't been too fond of his style of fighting either, apparently they didn't think you were supposed to dive into the middle of a battle and kill every hollow in sight just as quickly as you could. They seemed to think he was reckless--maybe they were right.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Toshiro stood on the wall of Seireitei, looking out over the wooden city of Rukongai. It was even more crowded than it had been the day before. It was easy to see the reason why. Smoke was rising above the western horizon. The Hollows were coming closer. Lieutenant Hisagi had sent back a report early that morning that he'd run across a Garganta spewing Gillians and was trying to set up a defensive line to keep them from spreading across the countryside. The distant fire was the result.

Komamura was moving more forces to assist him, but the Fifth had run into something nasty up in the northern mountains, and Ayasegawa had disappeared looking for it, according to a messenger who'd come at dawn, so there wouldn't be any help coming from there, nor from Zaraki. He'd vanished with his top officers basically the moment he'd left Seireitei. They'd only heard rumors from refugees about the Hollows he'd slaughtered since then.

There was just too much space to cover and too many Hollows coming from too many directions. Aizen didn't have to keep them organized. All he wanted was to create fear and chaos, to keep them busy. Things were not going well for the Gotei, and the refugees kept coming. And now requests were flooding in from every division, requests from ordinary shinigami, begging to be allowed to bring their families within the walls. Parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles, so many people who lived beyond the walls were related to shinigami, and all of those shinigami now feared for their families. Six divisions were out there now, the four in outer Rukongai, and now the Third and the Sixth in the inner districts, and still everyone was afraid.

"I have never felt such fear, not in all my years in the Gotei. Every heart in Soul Society has been touched."

Hitsugaya looked up at the older captain standing beside him. Ukitake also looked out over Rukongai. His expression was sad. Like the meeting the night before, he was fighting his illness to be here. He looked like he could collapse at any moment, but he had insisted on coming to see. Even Yamamoto's direct order to rest and recover after collapsing in Hueco Mundo had not stopped him.

"There have been other wars," Toshiro said. "They must have been afraid then too."

"Our other wars were not like this. We were able to focus our forces, and we faced the danger head on. The greater risk was on us, not the common people. We were able to protect them. Now I and my entire division wait within the safety of these walls for something to attack while the people we should protect die outside."

Toshiro was not sure he'd ever heard Ukitake sound so disheartened. "We cannot do any more than is already being done. Even if we could, Unohana has made it clear she can't support any more divisions outside Seireitei. We have to hold here until the enemy comes to us."

"And how many will die then?"

Toshiro's eyes returned to Rukongai. There were so many people out there with no city walls to protect them. So many were now living in tents without even homes to retreat to, not that he thought the wooden homes would provide much shelter against an army of hollows. Was there any way to keep the fighting from reaching the streets of Rukongai if Aizen sent an actual army against them?

His eyes shifted from the crowds of Rukongai to the still streets of Seireitei. There were many empty spaces here, wide squares and parks and even the empty divisions, plenty of space for thousands of refugees. It seemed stupid to make them sit outside in danger when they could easily be so much safer.

"Could we bring them inside the walls?" Toshiro asked. "The refugees? We could protect them here."

Ukitake smiled at his suggestion. "It has never been done before."

"That doesn't mean it can't be done, does it?" Toshiro asked. "It's our duty to protect the people of Rukongai. If we don't do something they're all going to be caught in the middle of our war."

"You should speak to the General," Ukitake answered. "I would offer my support, but at the moment I think that would be counterproductive."

Toshiro didn't know what to say to that. He really thought everyone was going a bit overboard with the whole Nemu thing. It seemed obvious to him that Ukitake wasn't going to take kindly to Yamamoto and Kurotsuchi's attempts to control Nemu, and they both should have kept their mouths shut, but at the same time nearly killing Kurotsuchi was an overreaction. And now the coldness between all three of them was insane. Just when they needed to be working together most, Yamamoto was barely condescending to listen to Ukitake's opinions, and the Captain was only grudgingly obeying orders. It was so obviously exactly what Aizen wanted that Toshiro wanted to knock them all over the head and tell them to grow up.

The meeting before they'd sent his father along with Kuchiki and Kurotsuchi to Hueco Mundo had been incredibly tense. Ukitake had been quite vocally, for him, against the entire plan. He'd said the risk was far too great for much too small a reward, and the information they got would only confirm what they'd gotten from Gin anyway. Yamamoto, who had obviously no trust in Gin, had been just as insistent that the mission was necessary, and really seemed to be taking Ukitake's objections personally. Then Ukitake had wanted to take his division to guard Rukongai rather than sending the Sixth with its inexperienced lieutenant, and Yamamoto had denied the request out of hand, without even giving any reason why which only made Ukitake less happy to cooperate with Kurotsuchi's plan to use him to set up a base in Hueco Mundo. In the end, Yamamoto had gotten tired of even listening to what anyone at all had to say and cut the meeting short, issuing direct orders to everyone.

Toshiro had hoped the meeting the night before, with its lack of hostility, was a sign they were getting over the whole thing, but apparently not.

He sighed. "I'll talk to the General after my shift is done." Not that he had much confidence he would be listened to either. He was too new a captain, and Yamamoto kept thinking of him as a child.

"I've disappointed you, haven't I, Shiro-kun?" Ukitake said softly. "You are right. This is no time for a quarrel. Unfortunately, I see no way to bridge this rift between us. General Yamamoto and I have never seen eye to eye. We have been able to work together through all these years because we have shared a mutual respect and understanding of our different strengths and expertise. He has always allowed me to see to the protection of the individuals of the Gotei, and I have never questioned his judgement in military matters, but this time we both stepped over those lines. I find myself doubting his judgment, afraid he is too willing to sacrifice lives for short-term goals, and I know he doubts my commitment to the Gotei. Without being able to trust each other, I fear we will be unable to work together effectively."

Toshiro frowned. He wanted to tell them both they were being stupid, sometimes you just had to trust someone whether you wanted to or not. "General Yamamoto is not going to sacrifice anyone he doesn't have to. He knows how much we need everyone to be able to defeat Aizen."

"And yet he has risked three captains in Hueco Mundo," Ukitake answered.

"If one of Aizen's Espada could defeat my father and Captain Kuchiki together I doubt we have any hope of winning this war," Toshiro answered. "I wish Captain Kurotsuchi hadn't left them, but I'm sure they're alright."

"Of course."

Toshiro refused to acknowledge the doubt in the other captain's voice or the doubts that kept creeping into his mind. His father was fine. He had to be.


	67. Chapter 67

Sorry everything has been a bit rough recently. I've been looking back and seen a lot of typos, etc. It's summer, and I'm having trouble fitting my writing into the crazy kids' schedules. My oldest daughter is learning to drive! I really haven't had any time for editing at all. I hope nobody minds too much. You're just getting to read rough drafts, but soon as school's back on it'll be better. Then my writting only has to compete with my job :)

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Gin stood very still as Aizen sat on his throne, looking down on him like he had so many others prisoners before. Maybe he looked a little more interested than usual, and the slight up-turn to his lips was rare, if not necessarily a good sign. Gin also knew better than to think the fact that he was still unbound meant anything. He was completely powerless, even Shinso still on his belt was nothing but a mockery. Perhaps Aizen wanted to see him try something or maybe he was just driving home the difference in their strength. Gin was armed; he'd even been bandaged by a helpful Arrancar, but he could do nothing but stand and wait for his fate to be decided.

"I was very disappointed at your choice, Gin-kun," Aizen said, finally. "I have known you since your childhood, when your hunger for strength and knowledge was beyond anything I have ever seen in one so young. You were also gifted with the genius to make your ambition possible. You cannot imagine how rare that is. You appeared to be the perfect protege, and I spent a century training you and molding you, even giving you a position at my right hand. It is an incredible gift I had given you. And yet you throw it all away in a moment of weakness-very disappointing."

Gin wondered if he was supposed to drop to his knees now and beg for mercy. Aizen did enjoy watching his victims grovel, but what was the point? He wasn't much for pride, but if this was the end of his life he'd really prefer to wait to beg until they made him. Everyone did eventually; they begged for mercy, and then they begged for death. He knew he wouldn't be any different, but he wasn't just going to volunteer that last shred of dignity-since he knew it wouldn't work anyway.

"I suppose every man has some weakness or other. Nobody's perfect, right?" he said smiling pleasantly. It was nice to know he could still control every expression when it was necessary.

Aizen raised an eyebrow.

"Well, maybe you will be, but we all know I've never had your potential," Gin added. "Not that I've ever wanted to accept that. Really can't stand the idea that perfection is out of my reach, but it is somewhat hard to miss. I may be a captain, but I'm not top in anything. I like to think of it as room to grow, but, you know, I'm really just not ever going to be perfect."

"Perhaps I should do you a favor and remove your weakness. Then you might be more able to reach your goal," Aizen suggested.

GIn's eyes widened, and his hand was instantly on Shinso. Only the hilt dissolved as he touched it. His zanpakuto was gone. Who knew when Aizen had taken it. All this time it had been nothing but an illusion.

Aizen smiled. "Did you really think you might be able to hurt me, Gin-kun?"

"Thought I might be able to force you to kill me, bit silly that. I do know better than to think there's any way out of this," Gin said, his mocking smile returning. His calm was perfect, showing no fear, not even any regret. His soul was screaming but Aizen would not see it. He could speak of his worst nightmare as though it were nothing. It was the one and only thing he could do. "Shiro said it was selfish of me, wanting to die rather than see what you would do to them, but I've always been selfish. I'd rather die with hell waiting for me than live long enough to see that. I doubt you're in a granting wishes kinda mood though, are you?"

Aizen sighed. "You really did have so much potential, Gin-kun. And now you are nothing but another information source for Szayel Aporro to dissect. Don't worry. He's managed to synthesize the best of Kurotsuchi's truth serums, so you won't forget to mention anything."

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Even from where Hisagi waited, the heat of the flames was nearly unbearable. It was a wall of flames twenty feet wide and nearly a mile long now and still being extended. Set by the Fourth Seat's fire-type zanpakuto it was nothing like the General could produce. The Gillians could cross it, but they seemed to find it enough of a threat that most of them turned as they fell from the Garganta and walked slowly along the burning wall, looking for a safe way across. As they did, kido experts of the Ninth showered them with damaging Hado. At the ends of the flames, far to the north and south, fighters beat back the injured Gillians, and as the men and women of the Ninth fought, Hisagi cut down the Gillians whose hunger for shinigami flesh outweighed their fear of the flames.

It had been hours now and it seemed like there would be no end to the flood of Hollows. Hisagi was tired and his division was barely able to keep going. No one could fight forever. The kido users were weakening, and that meant the Gillians were stronger when they reached the fighting. People were starting to die.

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Toshiro had purposefully come home late, too late even to help with Kin-chan. Late enough that even Rangiku should have been in bed. She would have been, too, if Rukia hadn't panicked when Renji didn't made it home on time, but he had finally made it after dinner and they'd both calmed the girl down. She was finally asleep and Rangiku was enjoying a well-deserved drink.

She raised her head the moment Toshiro stepped into the hall and met his eyes. "What's wrong?"

Toshiro really couldn't believe it. How could she possibly know something was wrong? It wasn't like he wore his feelings on his face. He wasn't like his father, but he was pretty good at the whole stoic captain thing. She couldn't actually know he was upset. She was just guessing.

"I'm just tired. It's been a long day," he answered gruffly. Then he added, just to distract her, "People are stupid. Ukitake and Yamamoto are still fighting."

"Fighting?" Rangiku repeated, looking skeptical.

"Not getting along. Whatever," he said, and he sat down at the kotatsu. He clearly wasn't going to be allowed to escape. He poured himself a cup of lukewarm tea and picked up a rice cracker. "Guess we're going to give Aizen whatever he wants."

"They'll work it out, Shiro-chan. They're both old enough and wise enough not to let something like this get in the way of the safety of Soul Society," Rangiku said. "And you know it, so what's really bothering you? It must be something bad. Renji was upset too, and not nearly so good at hiding it. Nanao said she heard Yumichika'd disappeared. Nothing's happened to him, has it?"

"We got word a couple hours ago that Zaraki managed to chase Tosen off before Ayasegawa was dead, not that he should have been anywhere near there, but they've patched Ayesegawa up and he went back to the fight, just like those guys from the Eleventh always do. It looks like Tosen may be running things here. According to Ayasegawa's report, he said he's 'cleansing Soul Society of the corruption of the Gotei'. Tosen always seemed pretty smart; I can't believe he bought Aizen's good guy line, especially knowing Dad worked for him."

He flinched slightly when he mentioned his dad, but Rangiku didn't seem to notice.

"Tosen's the worst sort of villain, self-righteous even when he's murdering people. At least Gin knows what he did was wrong," she said angrily. "He never tried to justify any of it. He never even hoped to be forgiven. He thought I would hate him!" Tears filled her eyes. "Tosen does the same thing, and he calls himself a champion of justice. People don't think he's as bad, even when he's killing people they don't think he's really evil. They think he was misled or something. They'd forgive him, but I don't think anyone is ever really going to forgive Gin."

"When did you start thinking like this? I thought you were all about getting Dad to move on and make friends. You seemed pretty sure people would be ok with him up till now."

Rangiku poured herself some more sake before she spoke. "I don't know. It was easy to be optimistic when he was here. I could finally see everything he'd been hiding and forgiving him seemed so simple. It seemed like anyone who spoke to him would understand, but I've been thinking since he left about how everybody's always thought about him. Can they really like him better now that they know all the terrible things he did, even if he was trying to save Soul Society?"

Toshiro sighed. At least this was better than her worrying if his father was already dead in Hueco Mundo. "You worry too much," he told her. "Everything's going to work out. Even if everyone can't forgive him, you know Shiba will, and Ukitake, too. It looked to me like he and Kyoraku were already giving Dad a chance. You don't get that drunk with people you hate, so maybe he can make a couple of friends. That'd be more than he ever had before.

"You know it doesn't matter though, right? You forgave him, and that's all he cares about. He's perfectly happy as long as he has you."

She smiled at that, but she shook her head. "He needs you, too, Shiro-chan. He'd not really going to be happy unless he has you, too. Your whole life you've been so angry at him. He knows he deserves it, but that doesn't make it hurt any less. He has so much guilt to carry; he's never going to ask you to forgive him, but if you could..."

Toshiro stared at her, speechless. Forgive him? Every awful thing his father had ever done ran through his head; all the reports he'd read on everything Gin had done for Aizen, those terrible fights they'd had when he'd been sure Gin was a traitor, and all the petty cruelties, his mother's tears, the cold indifference he'd always shown Toshiro. Stupidly, it was the little things that hurt the worst, and seeing his father now, with his little brother and sister, actually letting them see he cared, Toshiro was ashamed of how much that hurt. Could he really forgive everything?

He could understand now why his father had done the things he had done, but that really wasn't the same as forgiving, was it? Forgiving meant letting it go, even forgetting it if he could, and letting his father have a new start with a clean slate. Was that even possible?

"It's alright, Shiro-chan," Rangiku said softly. "You're doing your best, and I know you love him. Even if you can't let everything go, you are giving him a chance. That's enough. It really is."


	68. Chapter68

Eighteen days after Aizen's escape

Toshiro woke up to a Hell's Butterfly fluttering in his face at four in the morning. The call to a meeting echoed through his head the moment he touched it. He groaned and closed his eyes. More news. Then he remembered his father was still lost in Hueco Mundo, and he was up and out of bed almost instantly.

He was dressed and out the front door before he remembered his family only had Abarai to protect them, and he stopped. Nemu would be coming; that was the arrangement. If a captain's meeting was called at night, she would come to assist with guard duty. It would only take her a few minutes. He needed to be patient.

It probably wasn't more than three minutes before the woman appeared though to Toshiro it felt like an hour. She wore only a thin cotton kimono and sandals, and her black hair hung loose to her waist, swirling about her as she came to an abrupt stop. "Shiro-chan said you should hurry; it might be news about your father."

"Thanks," Toshiro said quickly, before he set off as the fastest speed he could manage to the First.

He still wasn't the first to get there. Kurotsuchi was already speaking to Yamamoto, but stopped abruptly the moment Toshiro entered, and both men watched him thoughtfully as he walked quickly to his spot. As if he wasn't worried enough! A sick feeling was starting in the pit of his stomach, and he told himself that Yamamoto was not that cruel. He wouldn't announce Gin's death to all the captains before first telling Toshiro. It was something else. It had to be something else.

The other captains all arrived within a few minutes. Ukitake looked as worried as Toshiro felt, but nothing ever broke Unohana's calm, and it was no surprise that Soifon didn't care.

Yamamoto looked around, surveying his captains carefully before he spoke. "The situation is growing worse in Rukongai. It appears an army of Menos Grande is descending on Soul Society. The Seventh and Ninth Divisions have joined to hold them back for the moment, however I feel it is time to set up greater defensive line around the city districts of Rukongai. The Twelfth will be added to the Sixth and Third for this purpose, and Kurotsuchi will be coordinating the three divisions to take advantage of defenses developed by Research and Development."

"The Twelfth is not trained for combat," Ukitake said. "Are we certain they will not be more of a hindrance than a help to the other divisions? Renji and Izuru-kun are already overburdened as it is. We cannot expect--"

"I assure you my division can defend itself," Kurotsuchi interrupted, thoroughly annoyed. "In a properly fought war direct combat should not be necessary. The enemy will be destroyed before they are near enough to inflict any damage. That is the strategy of my division."

"We will also be reducing the burden on the Sixth and Third by implementing a plan suggested yesterday by young Ichimaru-kun. Entry visas are currently being issued to a number of refugees with priority given to those related to shinigami. Those who receive visas will be permitted to take temporary shelter within the walls of Seireitei. They will be expected to remain only in designated areas of the city, but the Gotei will provide shelter and basic necessities.

"Ichimaru-kun, I am assigning the oversight of the refugees to you and your division. The gates will be opening at nine. That should give you adequate time to prepare. I expect you to personally ensure that everything goes smoothly. If you fail you will likely guarantee that the Four Great Houses will see to it that Seireitei never offers shelter to the souls of Rukongai again."

"Yes, sir," Toshiro said with a bow. Then he added, "If I may ask, has there been any news of Captain Kuchiki or my father?"

Yamamoto stared at him for a long moment before he answered, "We know nothing concrete as yet."

Toshiro didn't answer. He couldn't trust his voice, and he knew the moment he got emotional they would no longer see a captain; he would just be a child.

"It has been over twenty-four hours," Ukitake said, voicing Toshiro's concern. "Should we not be considering a possible rescue?"

"I find it hard to believe that two of my captains together would meet anything they cannot destroy or evade, even in Hueco Mundo," Yamamoto said. "But if they have run across such a being, there is no purpose in sending anyone after them. They would already be dead."

"Unless Aizen caught them," Ukitake said. "He will not kill them quickly. We have time to rescue them if we act quickly."

"If he captured them at all," Yamamoto pointed out. "I am sorry, Jushiro, but we must trust to their strength to protect them. We cannot open another front to this war in Hueco Mundo itself. We do not have the manpower. At any moment we may receive notice that Karakura is under attack. You, Soifon, and young Ichimaru-kun are all being held in reserve for that battle. We cannot send you elsewhere, and there is no one else to send. Byakuya and Ichimaru must make it back on their own."

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Byakuya stood alone on a smooth and gently rising earthen path. Around him grew an exquisite forest of lacy maples and ancient cherry trees, scattered with small clumps of bamboo and a few towering cedars. The cherries were blooming and their delicate petals fell like rain.

It was his inner world. A technique kept secret among the most elite of the Kuchiki house allowed him to escape reality. He had thought it cowardice when it was taught to him, running away from pain, but he'd been corrected quite sternly. The head of the Kuchiki family was entrusted with secrets that must never be shared, no matter the cost. His pride would become nothing but foolish arrogance if it risked the honor of the entire Kuchiki House.

He was unsure how long he could remain here while Aizen's Espada tried every possible method to break through. Pain was one thing, but he had no idea if their drugs might break the calm and control he had to maintain to remain here. There was a limit to every technique, and like any other this could be broken.

He could not allow his thoughts to wander even slightly from this world. Any concern about what they might try had to be banished, along with the very real fear that Ichimaru had broken the moment they'd brought him to Hueco Mundo and was even now volunteering every secret of the Gotei. But the most difficult to bury was the guilt over not teaching Rukia this. As long as he wanted to remain here there could be nothing but this place.


	69. Chapter69

Kira stared in disbelief at the huge crowd camped inside the Gate. Most of these people had never entered Seireitei before. They were a chaotic combination of the families of shinigami and the wealthiest people who lived in Rukongai; people who had used every ounce of their power and influence and probably enormous bribes as well to get the coveted visas. They were the most fortunate of the refugees Aizen's hoards had displaced. The nobles were furious any had been granted entrance, even with each and every person being carefully screened. The members of the Four Great Houses were beside themselves with fury, but with two heads away on missions they struggled to direct their anger.

"Please, Ichimaru-sama, I am sure we will--"

Kira turned automatically at that name, and he saw, not ten feet behind him, a tall, wealthy woman smacking her serving girl. The woman, with her sharp, fox-like face, pale skin, and narrow, aqua eyes, looked far too much like his captain despite her dark hair, and most disturbing of all, she spoke with a clear Kyoto accent exactly like Gin's as she told off the girl.

A man with an equally narrow face, although with soft brown eyes he looked much less fox-like, came up to the woman, and said, "Mother, would you please stop it. People are staring."

"What does it matter what any of this rabble thinks?" she demanded. "Where has your father gotten to?"

"He's trying to find us better lodgings."

Kira approached them feeling very uncomfortable. "Excuse me, sir, ma'am. Did I hear correctly? Is your name Ichimaru?"

"Who are you to ask me anything, shinigami?" the woman said coldly.

"He's a lieutenant, Mother," the man hissed, and then he said more loudly. "Yes, sir, I am Ichimaru Makoto, and this is my mother, Ichimaru Aoi."

Kira's eyes widened. The woman's name meant blue and his captain's was silver; he hoped to god it was coincidence. "Have you ever known an Ichimaru Gin?" he asked uncomfortably.

The woman turned white as a sheet. "He's dead," she bit out.

"He might not be," Kira said uncomfortably. "Would the Gin you knew be a younger man with silver hair and squinting eyes, and a tendency to smile--"

"He's dead," she said, more firmly, cutting him off before she turned her back on him. "Makoto, we are going."

Kira stared after them helplessly for a few seconds. He had never imagined his captain's family to be alive or well-off. He could not doubt Rangiku's stories of the two of them alone and struggling to survive in one of the worst districts of Rukongai. He hated to imagine what had happened to his captain to force him from one life to the other.

There wasn't really time to think about it, and soon he was back to work, directing shinigami to help people find space and assemble the temporary shelters that were all the Gotei had provided.

It was nearly an hour later when Ichimaru Makoto sought him out. "Excuse me, Lieutenant. Did you say you knew Gin?"

Kira turned to the man. He looked much the same age as his captain, and unlike the woman, whose main emotion had been anger, he looked sad. "I know an Ichimaru Gin," Kira said cautiously.

"With silver hair and a fox face who smiles all the time? There couldn't be two," Makoto said. "He is a shinigami then? We should have thought of that. He was always getting into trouble for stealing food." He laughed abruptly, although there was no real joy in the laugh. "Gin, the shinigami, now there's a nightmare for Akira."

"Akira?" Kira asked.

"The oldest of the three of us, and a hell of a bully, just like Dad. Gin was the youngest, and he got the brunt of it from both of them, from everyone to be honest. What wIth the way he never would keep his mouth shut and that hair..." He trailed off, frowning.

"I've heard," Kira said uneasily, doing his best to be understanding. This brother of his captain seemed to regret their past. "That a child with hair like that might be considered a curse in Rukongai. It must have been difficult for your family."

"For us?" He let out another joyless laugh. "Maybe, but we made sure he paid for it. I don't know what made him run in the end, but it was the right choice. Dad would have killed him eventually. Instead he's a shinigami in Seireitei."

Makoto looked toward the white towers that stood high above the great city. "We chased him out of our home, but he found a better one. I've felt guilty for a very long time for the way we treated him. It's a relief to know he did find a place to belong despite his strangeness. He is really accepted here, isn't he?"

Kira stared at the man. Chances were he'd hear about the two Captains Ichimaru sooner or later, and Kira wondered if he should just tell him now. It was going to be a shock either way. "He's married," Kira said, thinking he could work his way up to the biggest shock gradually.

Makoto's eyes widened. "Married?" he repeated in disbelief. "A woman married Gin?" he said very slowly. "What sort of woman would marry--" He couldn't seem to come up with the words to describe his brother.

"Rangiku-san is--" Kira felt the same sort of helplessness trying to describe Rangiku. "She is very friendly to everyone and always takes the time to be kind despite everything."

"He doesn't bully her?" Makoto asked, looking worried.

"He worships her," Kira said honestly. He doubted he could impress upon this man the degree to which his brother worshipped his wife. "They have three children, two boys and a baby girl. They're amazing children. The two boys are very strong. The oldest, Toshiro, is already a shinigami."

"He can't be that old! You let little kids be shinigami?"

"In very exceptional situations, and he's not as young as he looks," Kira turned and raised his head, looking toward one of the food carts where Toshiro stood on the cart's railing to oversee the distribution of food to the refugees.

Ichimaru Makoto turned slowly to follow Kira's gaze. At the boy's white hair, his eyes widened. "That's not Gin's son," he said slowly. "That boy's a captain."

"His mother is Lieutenant Ichimaru Rangiku of Division Ten and his father is Captain Ichimaru Gin of the Third," Kira said. "He's my captain. He's on a mission now so he's not in Seireitei, but I'm not sure if it would be a good idea if he were to see you here when he gets back. I have never seen him angry or upset so I don't think you would face anything like that, but he's not forgiving either. He has been known to dole out some very unpleasant revenge with a smile. You might want to ask some other shinigami for some stories about him, but you should know, whatever they may say, he is a good man."

Makoto still hadn't taken his eyes off Toshiro. "It's that bad, is it?"

"Captain Ichimaru risked his life pretending to work for Aizen to learn his secrets and find a way to defeat him. He knew Aizen was our enemy before anyone else, and he is risking his life now for Soul Society. But he is good at making people think the worst of him."

Makoto was silent for a moment, still watching Toshiro. "Mother always complains that she has no grandchildren. I wonder if she could even see past the white hair."

Kira frowned. "Captain Ichimaru Toshiro is greatly admired by the entire Gotei. His father trained him in secret, and he joined the Gotei only this year as a captain. He is the youngest ever recorded. He is not only strong but also kind and good and wise. The question is not whether your mother will accept him as her grandson, but whether he will accept her, knowing she discarded his father."

"Mother didn't," Makoto said, finally turning away from Toshiro. "She wasn't kind to anyone, but I think, sometimes, that she might have loved Gin."

"What about you?" Kira asked.

"He was my bratty little brother. I loved him and I hated him like brothers do. He messed with my stuff and stole my snacks and made up clever little ways of embarrassing me in front of everyone, and I beat him up for it. I guess I was less awful than Nii-san, Akira, that is, but not much. I was a bastard of a brother, but I didn't want him to leave.

"You're right. He's not going to want to see any of us, but when he gets back, maybe you can tell him that I'm sorry I was such a shitty brother, and I'm really glad he's happy."

\--

That would have been the end of it if Kira had not felt it his duty to tell Rangiku he'd met Gin's family, and Rangiku, being who she was, insisted he bring the entire family to the Third so she could meet them. She also told him only to tell them the Captain of the Third Division wished to see them but not give them a reason, and if it turned out Makoto had not told his family what had become of his brother, Kira was to tell him not to do so now.

She was lucky in that. Makoto had chosen not to tell his family what he had learned.

Rangiku forced her face to remain impassive as she watched Kira show Gin's family into the Third Division Captain's office. She glanced at the connecting door that hid Kin-chan and Yuki with Nemu before she stepped forward. That was the one thing that could go wrong with her plan. One never knew what insane thing might occur to Kin-chan. She could only hope Nemu really was figuring out how to manage the boy as well as she claimed.

She listened patiently as Kira introduced her as his captain, Matsumoto Rangiku of the Third and then introduced the family to her, Gin's parents, Seiji and Aoi, and brothers, Akira and Makoto. They all stared at her, somewhat awed to be meeting a captain. Makoto looked confused, but as Kira had directed he said nothing. The other two men, unsurprisingly, struggled to keep their eyes off her chest, and the woman who was Gin's mother, looked at her in a manner she had grown very used to over the last century; she was a wealthy woman looking down on Rangiku as a woman who had clearly been elevated beyond her station, and like every last one of them, Rangiku knew the question on her mind was 'who did she sleep with to get where she is now?' And, somehow, knowing that was what Gin's mother thought of her was not at all surprising.

"Thank you all very much for coming," she said, looking serious rather than smiling her usual, friendly, welcoming smile. "Lieutenant Kira tells me you are Ichimaru Gin's family, but before we get to the reason I asked you here I would like to be sure we are talking about the same person."

She held out an enlargement of one part of the Academy class picture, carefully cut so she herself was left out; it was the one and only photo she possessed of Gin as a child. He was grinning his usual fox grin, and she knew that in that moment he had been very proud of his accomplishment, getting them into the Academy, but somehow the picture still made her feel sad.

Both of the Ichimaru parents stared at the picture with varying levels of disbelief and something like horror, and Akira shared their disbelief, adding an impressive amount of anger. Only Makoto showed any sort of positive reaction to his younger brother's fate, smiling slightly before looking away.

"Gin's a shinigami?" Seiji said finally. He did not speak with the gentle Kyoto accent Gin shared with his mother. He spoke with the rougher tones of the Rukongai. He had likely built his success up from nothing, and the elegant wife who seemed to look down on them all even as she stood beside him was probably a trophy of his success.

Rangiku did not understand women who married for money or the men who would want them. It did not seem to her like a choice that could possibly lead to a happy life, and looking at Gin's parents, it seemed very obvious to her that theirs had never been a happy home, not just for Gin but for any of them.

"He is a shinigami with more than average strength," Rangiku told them, and she turned away, leaving the photo with them as she walked back toward the desk. She gave Gin's haori a bit of a tug as she walked; it was really too big and didn't quite want to cooperate when she moved. "But he has been a problem from the moment he entered the Gotei," she said. "I've tried many times to transfer him out of my division, but I cannot convince any other captain to take him."

She sat at Gin's desk and folded her hands in what she thought might look like a serious and professional manner. "Please, sit," she told them, gesturing with her head toward the seating near the desk. "It occurred to me that as his family you might be able to give me the background I need to prove he is an incorrigible element and needs to be ejected from the Gotei."

Makoto stared at her in shock and confusion, but the others all too obviously agreed with her.

"I knew the little bastard would never be worth anything," Gin's father said, looking thoroughly vindicated.

"At least I tried to educate him properly," Aoi responded in a cool tone. "I took the time to teach him proper manners and to show respect to his superiors. I did everything a mother could possibly do. It is not my fault if his poor character won out over my teaching."

"There is nothing anyone can do when a child's character is bad," Rangiku agreed, fighting every instinct to control her face and voice. "I expect Gin was always a liar and a thief."

"Had to beat him for stealing food at least once a week," Seiji declared. "He wouldn't keep his hands out of the stores meant for the market no matter what I did to him, and he'd lie to your face about it too, grinning that freak smile--the old stories are right; there's something wrong with a baby born all white. He's a curse on his whole family."

Rangiku squeezed her two hands together so tight her knuckles turned white, and it took all her strength to force her voice to remain calm, even, and disinterested, but she had to know, she had to know where Gin had come from and what his childhood had been before they had met. She had to know and he would never tell her. "The old wisdom is usually right," she said. "The modern Gotei has forgotten that, but I am determined to show them that Ichimaru is and has always been a dark and evil soul. He cannot be permitted to remain a part of our sacred order."

"He was always sneaking around," the older brother offered. "Like some sort of creepy little snake, and he was always spreading rumors about people, making up things and pretending he'd found them out by spying. I beat the shit out of him for spreading lies about me."

"They weren't lies," Makoto said softly, but no one paid any attention to him.

"The things he'd say trying to get his brothers in trouble--I don't know how many times I had to smack him across the mouth to shut him up, but you couldn't stop him. He'd be right back at it, making up more lies the very next day. You're right about that. He was born a liar," Gin's father said forcefully.

"I should have let you drown him," Aoi said. "When he was born. You were right. He was nothing but a curse upon our family. It was my foolish pride that protected him, my child, but, oh, how I hated to look at him. That hideous white hair, just like a hollow!"

Rangiku drew a slow, even breath. "I understand he ran away," she said with agonizing calm. "That must have been a relief."

"I should have thrown him out years earlier, but Aoi was attached. Don't let her fool you, she was always proud of that brain of his--you all must have noticed how bright he is, better to lie and sneak far as I could tell, but she thought she'd make him into a scholar. I guess a shinigami's about the same thing. You proud of your bastard freak?" he demanded of his wife.

Aoi's eyes narrowed. "If he was a bastard he might have grown into a better man, but he was his father's son, just like the other two; all Ichimaru men are cowards. None of you ever faced what you feared. You all turn and run." She laughed suddenly. "And now Gin's a shinigami. Worthless or no, I doubt any of you would dare face him with a sword on his belt."

"I would like to apologize if I could see him again," Makoto said softly.

"For what?" his brother demanded. "We never did a thing to him he didn't ask for."

There was a single knock at the door, and the one thing Rangiku had not planned for happened, Toshiro stepped into the room. "Mom, why aren't you at--" he broke off, staring at her. "Why are you wearing Dad's haori?"

His eyes shifted to the other people in the room, and his brows drew in at what he saw. "Who are you?" he said suspiciously.

When they exchanged confused and frightened glances his eyes went immediately to Kira standing against the wall. "Lieutenant, who are these people?"

Kira glanced at Rangiku, but he answered, "They are the Captain's parents and brothers."

Toshiro's eyes widened, and he turned back to the family. "They're my grandparents?" he said slowly.

"They don't deserve that title," Rangiku nearly shouted as she jumped to her feet. "They're horrible, horrible--it would be better if they were dead. Don't you give them anything. They don't deserve--"

She got up from Gin's desk and crossed over to Toshiro. "Do you see this boy?" she nearly shouted at Gin's family. "He is Gin's son, our beautiful, brilliant son, the youngest captain in--"

"Mom!" Toshiro cut her off. "It's ok. Calm down. What happened? What did they do?"

Rangiku turned furious eyes on Gin's family. "They were cruel and hateful. They treated your Daddy like he was--like he was--" Tears filled her eyes as she remembered Gin as he had been when they met, half-starved, but always so focused on caring for her, making sure she had enough to eat, making sure she was safe, a completely selfless, loving child, and these people had called him a curse and beat him and mistreated him until he'd run from them. "Oh, Shiro, how could they?"

Toshiro's face darkened as tears filled his mother's eyes. "Mom, you knew there had to be something wrong with them or Dad would have--you should have left them alone."

"I needed to know the truth," Rangiku said softly.

"You already knew. If Dad had been raised in a loving family he wouldn't be half so fucked up."

"Shiro-chan!"

"He is. He's a complete mess, and I guess this bunch is the number one reason why," Toshiro turned back to look over the family of Rukongai dwellers. "Congratulations, your son's the Captain of the Third Division of the Gotei, one of the strongest men in all of Soul Society. He's also one of the most hated, feared, and definitely the least trusted of all the captains, at least of those that are still on our side. He's deadly dangerous, and not at all above petty cruelty. He's also the most absolutely loyal man there ever was to those he loves and would do anything for them--the things he's sacrificed for his family would make dying look easy--but before you try to call in any favors I should warn you that probably doesn't include you. Far as he's concerned you don't exist, and you know what? That works for me too, so how about you just leave. Just get out and leave us alone. We don't need you, and we don't want you. Just go."

Of the family only Aoi raised her head to answer him. "You are a very strong young man," she said, looking on Toshiro with her cold, narrow eyes, that were just the color of his. "I never imagined my son would have a son like you or that he might earn the love of any woman," she added, turning her eyes to Rangiku. "And yet he did. You say people hate him and fear him? That does not surprise me, but that you and your mother both love him, deeply, that does surprise me. He was never one you would call easy to love--"

"That's not true," Rangiku interrupted.

"Yeah, it is," Toshiro disagreed. "But you could love anyone. Dad was just lucky he found you first."

"I was the one who was lucky."

"Whatever," Toshiro shrugged.

"I did love my son," Aoi said. "Even if I failed to show it as I should have, I cared for him. Please. Will you ask him if he will see me, his mother, just once? Surely his mother may ask that much of him."

Toshiro turned back to her. "He's not here," he said in surprise. "I doubt he'd see you anyway, but he's not even in Soul Society. There's no way Kira would have let you anywhere near Mom if he was."

Toshiro looked back at Kira, who did look a touch uneasy at his words. "Rangiku-san insisted," he said.

"Yeah, but she couldn't have if somebody hadn't told her they existed in the first place. You can try to explain that to Dad," Toshiro said, before he turned back to his father's family. "I'll tell my dad you want to see him if you really want me to, but you upset my mom, and he's killed people he liked better for less. If I were you I'd just be grateful he wants to pretend you're all dead and gone.

"You're not going to get anything from him. He's a captain and if he wanted to he could give you homes in Seireitei and keep you safe and comfortable for the rest of your lives. He has connections to the Kuchiki and Shiba families that could probably make you ridiculously wealthy if he chose to help you. And you could have all of us, Mom, my little brother, and my little sister, a loving family to support you every day of your lives, if that was what he wanted, but it isn't. Whatever it was you did to him, and I really don't want to know what it was, it was enough that he is done with you. Whatever you think you're going to say to him is not going to convince him to give you what you think he owes you so just leave him alone. You don't want to find out what he thinks you deserve."

"I'm his mother," Aoi answered proudly. "My son, my Gin, would never hurt his mother."

"Don't act so righteous, Aoi," her husband said, disgustedly. "All you ever did was use that boy for your nasty little games. He knew it, too. He's not going to have the slightest interest in you, except maybe like the boy said to pay you back."

"And what do you think he will do to you?" Aoi demanded. "Gin, a captain of the Gotei. You might as well have signed your own death warrant. I don't even care what he does to me if I can see what he does to you."

"I only did what was necessary!" Seiji snapped back. "The boy was a liar, a sneak, and a thief. He needed discipline! If you hadn't encouraged him continually, he might have learned better. It's your fault, not mine that they fear him here. You taught him to turn all that intelligence to revenge."

"I taught him! I never--"

"Kira, send these people back to wherever you found them," Toshiro interrupted, feeling more than a little sick to his stomach, knowing he was related to these awful people. "I don't want to see them ever again. If I do I'm going to cancel all their visas. And if they ever come near Mom--"

His eyes went to his mother. She was watching the Ichimaru family as Kira ushered them from the room. Her anger had faded and she didn't have it in her to really hate anyone. Instead, her expression was one of horror and grief. He knew she was thinking about his father and what his childhood must have been.

She should have known better than to invite them here. Kira should have known better than to tell her about them at all. They both knew what these people had to be and how pointless it would be to meet them. Why did they think his father had never even mentioned them?

"You know Dad would have laughed at them if he'd been here," Toshiro said, trying to cheer his mother up. "That or terrified them, could've made them piss themselves with one look."

"No," Rangiku said softly. "I think you're right; he would have laughed, but inside he would have been hurting. That's why I brought them here now. I didn't want him to have to see them. I just wanted to know."

"Dad's stronger than you think," Toshiro protested. "He doesn't need you to protect him from anything, and if you really needed to meet his family you should have waited for him. He wouldn't have let them upset you."

Rangiku pulled off Gin's old haori and started to fold it. "He feels everything, Shiro-chan. That's why he smiles all the time, to hide it. I hate knowing he's in Hueco Mundo, so close to Aizen. He must be so frightened, and he can't even trust the other captains to have his back. He knows they hate him. And even if he does everything right, it won't change anything. They won't stop hating him. They won't really consider him one of them. They'll still just be thinking about how he can be useful."

"Dad is one of us. They kept him a captain. That makes him one of us. You've got to stop worrying," Toshiro said, but he knew she was right. That was how they had been looking at his father. How could they use him in this fight? They'd let him keep his title so he'd cooperate, and now that they knew everything he did, did they even care if he died in Hueco Mundo? If Aizen got him? They'd been careful about the information they'd shared with him. Toshiro had noticed that. Certain facts and strategies had been kept to smaller groups; groups Gin was never a part of.

He hadn't been told anything about the Ryoka; he only knew what was obvious to everyone. He didn't know how strong Ichigo was or about Orihime's ability to heal, although he might have noticed when she was brought to care for Rukia, but Toshiro doubted it. In any case they had made sure he'd never seen it or heard how quickly and thoroughly Rukia had been healed physically. He didn't know anything about the plans to defend Seireitei beyond the roughest of outlines, and he didn't know anything about Komamura's plans to handle the invading Hollows.

Toshiro had not thought before about the fact that however useful his father was now, a captain that could not be trusted would be a liability to the Gotei long-term. They would have to rescue Kichiki eventually, but if his father didn't manage to hold out, or died during the rescue, would anyone care but him?

"Mom, I have to go back to work," he said abruptly. "I only came by to ask Nemu if she could stay the night."

"You're going to be gone all night?" Rangiku demanded, not managing to hide how much that upset her.

"I am a captain. I have a lot of responsibilities, and things are getting worse in Rukongai. You can't keep worrying about me whenever I'm not home on time."

"I know," she said, smiling weakly. "I should just be glad you've been assigned to protect Seireitei."

"Right? There's nothing to worry about."


	70. Chapter70

Aizen paused for only a moment beside the metal table where Kuchiki Byakuya lay. Szayel was speaking to him, offering excuses as to why they had yet to learn anything from the Head of the Kuchiki house. Aizen did not particularly care, and he looked down at the prisoner with only the vaguest of interest.

Byakuya did not look like a torture victim, torn and bloodied, with wounds inflicted for the sake of pain. He looked like the experimental subject of a sadistic surgeon, which was exactly what he was.

Strange machines were hooked to him, carefully monitoring vital signs and brain activity. An IV delivered blood through his left arm, replacing the blood loss that was obvious from the deep red pool on the table and dripping on the floor, A second IV delivered some strange deep blue fluid directly to his jugular. Multiple sloppily stitched up scalpel marks marred his once perfect flesh where Szayel had tried his hand at some 'exploratory surgery'. A deep and blackened gash across one cheek showed Szayel had also taken the opportunity to test his new flesh-dissolving poison. It seemed fitting, destroying the proud captain's beauty before his death.

Aizen frowned. "Why did you remove his arm?" Byakuya's entire right arm was gone. Only a sloppily bandaged stump remained.

"I thought perhaps if I sent him into shock it might pull him from his trance. However, despite the threat to his life, even when his brain oxygen levels dropped dangerously low and his heart stopped, there was no visible reaction, and his reiatsu remained steady. This technique was not designed to prevent death. It was designed exclusively to prevent the knowledge locked in the shinigami's mind from being discovered," Szayel said and then added. "I am now sending a poison to his brain that will induce a severe seizure. It should be enough to break whatever concentration is required to maintain this trance."

Aizen turned away. "And the other prisoner?"

Szayel turned away from Byakuya with reluctance. He clearly found the shinigami's ability to resist his attacks fascinating.

"The other prisoner did attempt to resist the effects of the truth serum obtained from the Gotei. He seemed familiar with it and was able to resist for nearly an hour before his consciousness began to deteriorate. At that point he was able to focus his thoughts on an individual he calls 'Ran' and has been able to draw his mind back to this 'Ran' anytime we are not forcefully drawing his attention. Even pain cannot completely distract him. The serum is meant to suppress conscience thought and control and induce a semi-dream state in which the mind can be guided by outside forces. It may be that 'Ran' is some sort of hallucination of his unconscious something like the personification of the zanpakuto that appears to shinigami in a trance. This 'Ran' seems to be shielding his mind from the usual waking nightmares that are a common side effect of the drug."

Aizen's eyes narrowed. Gin had found a way to protect himself from the most torturous aspects of Kurotsuchi's truth serum. He should not be surprised. Gin had long made a habit of stealing antidotes to the mad scientist's poisons; of course he would also have found as many ways to resist those without antidotes as he could. It was yet another way he had prepared himself to face any other captain as an enemy. He'd always been aware he was not strong enough to face any other captain in a fair fight, and much of his training had focused on getting around their strengths. It was very possible he had prepared for the attack of this drug on his mind.

"Are you able to get answers to questions?" he asked.

"Of course," Szayel answered. "His hallucination may prevent his mind from spiraling into the darkest aspects of his memories, however he has no resistance to our guidance. Pain still forces him into memories of pain, and direct questions unlock related memories which he shares without resistance."

Szayel led Aizen to a door at the far end of the laboratory. "At first, it seemed possible he might be able to use kido against us so we moved him to a sealed chamber, however he no longer has enough awareness of his surroundings to be any sort of a threat."

He pulled open the door, and there was Gin, held up by chains as he slumped, completely limp against the wall. He was locked within a half circle that served as a secondary barrier within the already sealed room. It was somewhat amusing to Aizen that Gin was so thoroughly imprisoned while Byakuya was only under a single seal. Szayel had seen all the intelligence on every captain Of the Gotei. He knew Byakuya was much stronger in kido than Gin, but he had made the mistake of assuming that Byakuya's broken appearance was reality. He might learn otherwise, and Aizen did not particularly care if he lost the Espada if Byakuya did attempt to escape. A stupid Espada was not useful to him, and he could easily recapture Byakuya if necessary.

His eyes turned to study his once servant. Gin was bruised and bleeding from multiple wounds. His face was a complete mess, so swollen and bloody he was barely recognizable, but his lips were moving as he spoke to a woman only he could see.

"Don't worry, Ran. It's nothing. I promise," he mumbled. "I'll take care of it. You wait here, alright?"

"Gin," Aizen said sharply.

Gin's head rose slowly. If he could open his bruised and blackened eyes was impossible to tell, but after a moment, he seemed to focus on Aizen. "Yes, sir? I'm afraid that hollow got a hit in on me, but I finished it alright. I'm ready to get on with the rest of them if you'd like."

His voice was rough and slurred, but he was repeating word for word something he had said during training over ninety years ago, when Aizen had been testing the limits of his strength. He'd been badly injured by the first hollow, but he had learned from his mistake and the rest without incurring another injury. He very clearly had no idea where he was now.

Aizen looked back at Szayel. "You may leave."

"Yes, sir. I'll get back to work on the other prisoner," Szayel said as he backed out of the room and closed the door.

"Szayel is a poor substitute for Kurotsuchi," Gin said, repeating another past conversation. "Too much ego and not enough curiosity."

"What did you really think of Szayel?" Aizen asked, curious how deeply Gin could be questioned.

"He's a nasty son of a bitch. It's too bad we can't get any better. I can't stand working with him. I always get the feeling he's itching to try something on me. 'Course Kurotsuchi is, too, but he just wants to test out his next toy. The Espada all want me dead. They hate having to obey me. They know I'm weak."

Gin had never shown the slightest fear of any Arrancar, not even of the top Espada, nor had he ever admitted to any sort of weakness. Not even Aizen had imagined he might consider himself weak. Under the influence of this drug he was revealing feelings he had thoroughly hidden.

"Why do you want to kill me?" Aizen asked. It had been strange to meet a child just out of the Academy and immediately sense his seething hatred and almost overwhelming desire to kill. It was one of the things that had always been intriguing about Gin. Why would he want to kill a shinigami he'd never met before.

"You hurt my Ran. You made her cry," GIn answered. Then he continued, no longer speaking to Aizen, "You rest now. Everything's going to be alright. You're going to be just fine, I promise. I'll be right back--how could they hurt her? What sort of monsters are they? They're shinigami. Aren't they supposed to protect people? How could they hurt Ran? She's so kind and good. How could anyone hurt her? I'll kill them."

Aizen frowned. He knew he had never harmed Rangiku. He could remember every one of his victims. It must have been his men, gathering reiatsu. She had been a perfect target, an orphan in Rukongai, but he had been very careful never to be seen publicly with any of those men. They were far too likely to be caught or at least seen attacking civilians.

"How did you know they were my men?"

"I followed them into the forest. They were easy to track. They didn't conceal their reiatsu. They weren't worried about other shinigami following them. They didn't think anyone else would be strong enough.

"I was going to kill them, sneak up on them one at a time and cut their throats. That's what they deserved for hurting Ran. I'd make them hurt, too, if I could, but shinigami might be strong. I couldn't risk getting hurt. I had to make it back to take care of Ran.

"They met a lieutenant in the woods and bowed to him and presented him with Ran's reiatsu. It was you, Aizen Sosuke, you were the reason they hurt Ran. I couldn't kill you then. I hated you, and I wanted to kill you, but I couldn't. I wasn't strong enough. I'd have to wait till I was stronger than you. I'd have to become a captain of the Gotei, and I would. I had to make you pay--you have to pay."

"You've been plotting my death for a century because I made your woman cry?" Aizen said in disbelief. He'd known Gin had a weakness for the woman since she'd graduated the Academy. He'd tried very hard to hide it, and to some degree he had succeeded. Aizen had never imagined she was the motive behind Gin's drive for power. He'd thought of her more as Gin's favorite toy, an easy source of sex and praise and adoration. She gave him any affirmation he might need, and she seemed willing to receive nothing in return. It had seemed like a comfortable arrangement for his protege, but he'd never imagined it to be much more than that.

"Ran should never cry. She should laugh and smile. She glows brighter than the sun. She fills every cold and empty part of me, but I couldn't keep her safe. I couldn't protect her from the shinigami. I shouldn't keep her with me. She needed to be safer. She deserves better. I will make the world better for her, so she can be happy. I will destroy Aizen before he can destroy her world. I cannot allow him to destroy her happiness."

"All for the love of a woman. You are far weaker than I imagined, Gin-kun," Aizen said, disgust twisting his features. What had so long seemed like a fascinating puzzle had turned out to be nothing. Ichimaru Gin was just another fool driven by his emotions. All of that genius had been wasted. Aizen could only imagine what Gin could have been if he hadn't allowed himself to be distracted by love, the most foolish of a long list of energy-wasting emotions. If he had only been rational and allowed Aizen to guide him properly he might have become someone great.

"I am weak, too weak, always weak, always failing," Gin agreed. "I'm so sorry, Ran. I never meant to hurt you. Everything I did was for you."

Aizen thrust out his hand, catching Gin around the throat and knocking him back against the wall. "Listen carefully, Gin. You will never see Rangiku again. You destroyed her life. She despises you. She will never forgive you, and you will be alone forever."

Gin's eyes went wide for a moment, and he stared at Aizen in horror. Aizen released him as panic filled his eyes.

His head rolled back and forth and he searched the room. "Ran? Ran? I'm sorry. Please, Ran, I'm sorry. Please come back. I'll do anything. Please."

Aizen smiled. The desperation in Gin's voice was something to hear. Szayel had been a fool to think Gin could escape his inner darkness. His shield was easily destroyed. His faith in Rangiku was nothing to his own self-doubt, and his mind only held onto her for as long as he believed she would stay.

He would leave Gin to wallow in the pain he had earned. He was already too bored to question him further. He would leave the rest to Szayel.


	71. Chapter71

"Urahara may be willing to help you, but the path from the Twelfth would be faster."

Toshiro spun around. He was standing before the Shihoin Senkaimon, ready to take a step that could easily be seen as dereliction of duty. He was supposed to be here, protecting Seireitei, but his father was in trouble; he was sure of it. He had to go to Hueco Mundo.

But there was Ukitake only a few feet behind him. He had guessed everything, even the Senkaimon Toshiro would use, and he had done it in time to stop him or-- "Wait," Toshiro said slowly. "Did you say the Twelfth would be faster?"

Ukitake nodded. "Captain Kurotsuchi is out in Rukongai, and Nemu has spoken to a few of her past co-workers. They are willing to create a Garganta to allow us to travel directly to Las Noches to rescue your father and Captain Kuchiki."

"What?" Toshiro said, unable to wrap his mind around the idea that Ukitake was offering to help him break dozens of rules and maybe even a law or two.

"We have known for two days that they were captured by Aizen. Your father was wearing a camera that relayed everything that was happening to the Twelfth until Aizen had it disabled. We saw the capture and have every reason to believe he intends to hold them both alive. Your father, in particular, he promised would live long enough to watch his family die. The--"

"What?" Toshiro interrupted loudly. "You've known all this time? You've been lying to me? Everyone has? Were those meeting just to fool me?"

"General Yamamoto believed it was necessary," Ukitake said. "And in a way he was right. You cannot allow your father to remain imprisoned in Hueco Mundo, even if it means abandoning the defense of Seireitei."

"Yamamoto can protect Seireitei. I'm doing nothing but taking up space."

"I understand your feelings," Ukitake answered. "We are not useful here. Our assignments have been nominal, and yet there is somewhere we can be useful. Neither your father nor Captain Kuchiki deserve to be left in Aizen's merciless hands. The General was truthful in saying that he believed a rescue attempt would equal opening another front in this war, and we cannot afford that currently. He wants to settle things here before turning our attention to Hueco Mundo in force. As we believe neither captain is in mortal peril he feels no need to prioritize their rescue."

"He's willing to leave Kuchiki to be tortured after what happened to Rukia?" Toshiro said, surprised. He had thought the Head of the Kuchiki House was more valuable than that.

"Byakuya--Captain Kuchiki has been trained to resist torture," Ukitake said. "It is likely only Gin will be broken."

Toshiro stared. He had expected it, but still, it was a shock to know the Gotei had forsaken his father.

"Which is why we must go now. There is no guarantee that we can rescue them. If Aizen or his Espada discover us it is likely we will fail, but we must try. No one deserves to be broken as Rukia was broken, no matter his crimes."

You're coming with me?" Toshiro said, biting back the urge to argue. Ukitake was sick, but he was a child with no experience. He really couldn't say for sure which of them would be less effective.

"Nemu doesn't like it either, but I don't think I could ever face your mother again if I allowed you to go alone."

Toshiro frowned. He really didn't want to think about how his mother would feel about this. Even if everyone made it back completely fine she would be furious with him, and she was definitely going to cry, a lot. He was sorry about that, sorry that he was risking his life when he knew what it would do to her if he didn't make it back, but he couldn't stay here, not when he knew Aizen had his father. Aizen had already had him for two days; he couldn't let him keep him any longer.

"We'd better hurry," he said gruffly.

"Of course."

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Kyoraku Shunsui frowned at his pink RD issue cellphone. The message he had just received from Nemu-chan was worrying to say the least. He understood why Ukitake and Toshiro felt they had to go after Gin and Byakuya, but he would have done whatever it took to stop them. The risks were too high, not only for them, but for the entire Gotei. They could not afford to lose any more captains. The captain class shinigami were so spread out at this point that if Aizen attacked they probably couldn't pull more than four together to stand against him.

There were times you had to put doing the right thing above everything else; risking their lives to save poor Rukia had been the only thing to do, but there were other times when you had to choose the good of the majority above doing the right thing. It wasn't right to leave Byakuya and Gin suffering in Aizen's grip. It was a bad call by the General that had trapped them there, but for the protection of Soul Society and all people everywhere, their rescue should wait.

But that was Ukitake for you. Nemu-chan had said he couldn't stop Toshiro and wouldn't let the boy go alone, but Kyoraku knew his old friend well enough to know he'd already been looking for an excuse to go. He'd never left a man behind. In the old days, daring rescues had been his specialty. He would have gone after Rukia if he hadn't collapsed after Aizen's escape. He couldn't leave anyone, even Ichimaru Gin, to suffer at the hands of an enemy.

Kyoraku set aside the phone. Then he took a final sip of a chocolate milkshake and looked across the table at Shiba Kaien. The boy had done very well fitting into the culture of the World of the Living. He hadn't even made any of the fashion mistakes inexperienced shinigami tended to make on their first gigai assignments, and his relaxed attitude had made it easy for him to adapt to the strange seeming customs of humans. He'd even been fun to take to various restaurants to try out all sorts of foods he'd never heard of before. He usually enjoyed the new foods and rarely complained but he was currently poking suspiciously at a melting concoction of vanilla ice cream, fudge and whipped cream. As Kyoraku looked up he asked once more, "Are you sure this is considered food?"

"It's on the menu, isn't it?" Kyoraku asked. "It's called a parfait. I've heard all the ladies love them."

"Then why did you get me one?"

"You really shouldn't complain, Shiba-kun, when your superior buys you dinner," Kyoraku told him as he pulled out a wad of human money and looked carefully of the numbers on the corners. He had a terrible time remembering what was worth what.

"I didn't mean to complain, sir," Kaien offered.

"No matter. I need you to run a couple errands for me tonight. If you'd let Ichigo and his friends know we're going to have to be on alert for the next day or two I'd appreciate it, and also, if you would, drop by and see if Kisuke has those city barriers properly constructed. If he doesn't, let him know we might need something temporary as soon as he can manage it."

"Is there a problem, sir?"

Kyoraku frowned. If only Ukitake and Yama-ji hadn't gotten so completely cross-ways Ukitake might have been willing to wait for the General to send a rescue party; for that matter, Yama-ji might not have been so stubborn about putting it off. As it was he didn't want to admit sending them in the first place had been a mistake. Now, because of their squabble, the entire situation was being shifted again, and every time that happened Aizen seemed to be ready for it. "Things change and Aizen responds," Kyoraku said. "All we can do is wait and see what he's going to do this time."

He stood abruptly and smiled once more. "No sense worrying till we know what to worry about. I've got an errand to run myself this evening. I'll be by to check on things when I'm done."

With that he popped a soul candy in his mouth. Only moments later Kyoraku stood atop a nearby skyscraper. His pink haori blew in the wind as he looked over Karakura. It was a busy town filled with thousands upon thousands of little humans who had no idea the danger that threatened them all.

After a moment he took a step back and drew a circle on the ground, split into quarters with a character in each. He had caught the faintest trace of a familiar reiatsu once or twice in the past couple days, and if he was right he figured it was about time he said hello. "Heart of the South, Eye of the North, Fingertip of the West, Heal of the East, Carry the Wind and Gather, Banish the Rain and Disband."

Less than five minutes later he was standing outside an old and abandoned warehouse. "Knock, knock," Kyoraku said with a smile.

A moment later he could hear a girl's shouts, muffled by the door. "Let me go, baldy! I'm gonna give that old bastard a piece of my mind! I don't care what he wants!After what they did--!"

There was a sound like something large had been knocked over and a second later the door opened and closed very quickly. Hirako Shinji stood at the door staring at Kyoraku with a very unfriendly expression.

"You want something?" He said. "You'd better tell me quick. Hiyori's on her way to come kick you in the head."

A huge smile was gradually lighting up Kyoraku's entire face. "So Kisuke managed to save you all! That's wonderful news, just wonderful!"

The door burst open and Hiyori came flying out. "What's so wonderful, you old bald drunk!" She demanded, sending a flying kick to Kyoraku's head, exactly as Shinji had predicted.

Kyoraku caught her by the foot and smiled down at her as she hung upside-down from his firm grip. "Hiyori-chan! It's so good to see you again! And so full of energy! I'm glad to see the World of the Living hasn't changed you!"

"You heard her, ji-chan," Shinji said. "Not sure what's wonderful about you seeing us again. Pretty sure you all set an execution order on us."

"Now, now," Kyoraku said, releasing Hyori's foot and allowing the girl to drop back to the ground. "If you'd all like apologies I understand, and I am happy to give them, but we can't be worrying about things like that now. The Gotei's short-handed, and I'm afraid Karakura may be in serious trouble if you all don't help me out."

"That so?" Shinji asked, but Hiyori shouted over the top of him. "Why would we want to help out a bunch of baldys who decided the best way to deal with us after Aizen attacked us was to finish the job? Huh? You're as much our enemies as he is!" She attempted a roundhouse kick this time but found her foot caught once again, and tumbled to the ground when Kyoraku immediately released it.

"Shut up, Hiyori, you loud-mouthed midget," Shinji suggested.

"You gonna make me, you brain-dead baldy?" She demanded, and this time her foot connected, knocking Shinji's hat off his head.

"Look, you snaggle-toothed chibi--"

Shinji's angry retort cut off abruptly when Kyoraku began chuckling, and both he and Hiyori turned glares upon the old captain.

"I am sorry, but it is so nice to see you two! It's been such a long time, and I never really thought Kisuke had managed to save you. Some things you don't imagine can be reversed no matter how bright the one who tries might be."

"It wasn't reversed," Shinji said, and he reached up and pulled the hollow-mask over his face. "Only controlled."

"That explains your interest in Ichigo," Kyoraku said thoughtfully. "I wondered."

Shinji withdrew his mask and nodded. "We hoped to teach him to control his hollow form. He has not been interested in listening so far."

"Well, I'd be happy to speak to him on your behalf, but first, like I was saying, we may have a bit of a problem."

"What's the problem, ji-ji?" Hiyori demanded.

" 'Ji-ji'?" Kyoraku repeated, looking offended. "Now just because you look like a little girl doesn't mean you can go about calling everyone 'ji-ji'--that does remind me, though, you won't have met my sweet little Ai-chan!" He was pulling out an entire bundle of photos to display. "My adorable granddaughter! Isn't she precious?"

Hiyori was looking highly skeptical. "Correct me if I'm wrong, baldy, but don't you have to have a kid before you can have a grandkid?"

"Oh, I adopted one, already all grown up so I didn't have to bother with raising him. Nanao-chan picked him out--isn't her little girl the cutest little thing you ever saw? She's like Nanao but even cuter! And of course she's terribly clever--"

"You said something about a problem?" Shinji interrupted.

"Oh, yes, that's right," Kyoraku agreed with a sigh, stuffing his pictures away for another time. "I'm afraid Ukitake's gone and done something a bit rash."


	72. Chapter72

Toshiro looked around the strange, silent world of Las Noches. Beneath an azure sky huge monolithic towers rose out of the still, yellow sand. There was no one to be seen in any direction, only more towers and lifeless dunes. He frowned, feeling there should have been some sort of response.

The Garganta behind them had snapped shut the moment they arrived, and they both were suppressing their reiatsu. They should be difficult to see but not impossible. Someone should be coming to look for them.

Then, suddenly, Aizen's voice hit them. "Welcome Captain Ukitake and young Captain Ichimaru, to my world. I must be leaving now for an appointment in Karakura, but I will leave a few of my servants to make your visit more enjoyable. Goodbye."

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Kira was only half-listening to Captain Kurotsuchi's instructions. He was a little preoccupied with imagining how his captain was going to punish him for introducing Rangiku to his family. He was sure a slow and painful death was only his paranoia talking but he wasn't sure that he could really exclude much short of that.

He raised his head, looking vaguely off behind the captain's shoulder and beyond the nearby buildings. A narrow line of light broke across the night sky and then it was like the sky itself was tearing apart and a rift was forming, a Garganta.

"Captain," he breathed, raising his hand slowly.

Just like had been described in Hisagi's report, Menos Grande started pouring from the gaping rift. Only these towering Gillians, rather than stepping out into the empty fields of Rukongai were stepping down onto a city of ramshackle wooden buildings.

Kira was racing across the city before he'd even had time to think, leaping up and slashing across the mask of one of the gigantic monsters as it opened its mouth. It tumbled to the ground, but beside it another released a cero that smashed through a block of homes. All around him rank and file shinigami were racing forward to meet the hollow hoard, five to ten to a single Menos Grande, all risking their lives to bring even one monster down.

Only a block or two behind them Kurotsuchi's kido barriers sprang to life, creating a temporary wall to shield the greater part of the city from the attack, and civilians were fleeing the battleground for the protected areas. Their screams of pain and fear rang in Kira's ears. It was impossible to save them all.

The Menos kept coming.

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Rangiku was in the bathroom, holding a crying baby against her shoulder and arguing with Kin-chan about getting out of the bath so other people could use it when the alarm went off. Yuki's wails abruptly cut off as the infant raised her head to look around in surprise, but from the other room Rangiku could hear Rukia starting to panic.

Kin-chan turned a glowing smile to his mother. "Are the Ryoka coming again?" He asked eagerly. "Can we go stay at Ai-chan's house?"

Rangiku could only stare at him, the blood in her veins turned to ice. The last time she had heard that siren she nearly lost both her husband and her oldest son. This time AIzen wasn't running, he was attacking.

Like a switch was flipped, her panic turned abruptly to action. She grabbed the boy with one arm and lifted him bodily from the tub.

She ignored his yelps of protest, "Mommy, leggo! Stop it! I can do it myself!" As she threw a towel around him and rushed to dry him off.

Then she was grabbing his clothes and dragging him across the hall. "Renji, you have to go," she ordered.

Renji was on the floor with Rukia, his arms around her as she rocked back and forth, her hands clenched over her ears and begging the noise to stop. He looked up at Rangiku, his face a mask of agony as he was torn between duty and the girl he loved.

"I can't leave you unprotected," he protested. There was no one left to take his place. When he was gone it would only be the unknown members of the Stealth Squad and Nemu to protect her and Rukia and the children.

"We will keep Rukia safe," Nemu said with the absolute calm and certainty that never left her voice.

"I am a lieutenant," Rangiku said, "I can and will fight to protect everyone in my care."

Renji looked from one woman to the other. Then he nodded. "You're right. I have to go."

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Nanao stood abruptly when the siren began. She set aside the book she had only just opened. "Mama's sorry, Ai-chan, but she has to go back to work. Iwatani-ba-san is going to take you to Kin-chan's house for a slumber party. Doesn't that sound nice?"

Iwatani-ba-san was the Captain's elderly housekeeper. He had loaned her to Nanao while he was gone, which Nanao had thought decidedly odd, but now she was glad she had another adult in the house. She couldn't take Aiko along to work with her until she found someone free enough to take her daughter to Rangiku. The last thing she wanted was for her little girl preparing for battle.

As far as Aiko knew all her mother ever did was paperwork and telling people off for not doing paperwork and as far as Nanao was concerned that was the way it needed to stay for a few more years. The girl, tiny as she was, already knew her daddy was in danger out fighting hollows. She did not need to worry her mama might be in danger too.

The girl squealed with excitement and hopped out of bed, running to gather the toys she would need into a pink flowered bag, completely oblivious to the threat to her home and her family. Nanao smiled. If she had any say in the matter, her daughter would always be this happy.

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A Garganta tore across the night sky above the sleeping town of Karakura. One by one Arrancar emerged from the darkness. First were the lesser Arrancar, Dordoni, Luppi, and Zommari. Then Halibel and her three fracciones stepped out followed by Barragan and his four. Last came Aizen, and he smiled as his opponents appeared.

Kyoraku Shunsui was followed by the lieutenant Shiba Kaien. Then, one by one, in a line behind them The Visored appeared, a perfect replacement for the captains and lieutenants Aizen had distracted into other conflicts.

Aizen smiled. He had guessed right. Yamamoto was not here. "I see you've managed to collect a little army to challenge me. Do you really believe you can protect all of Karakura, even with their help?"

"We're not here to protect anything," Shinji answered. "We're here for revenge."


	73. Chapter73

Really sorry for the super-short post. School starts next week and what with new clothes, school supplies, open houses, and scheuling issues getting my kids ready has been unbelievable.

After it starts we'll probably get some new year drama but then life will hopefully finally calm down, and I'll have at least an hour or two a day to type. I feel so close to finishing this that it's driving me crazy I can get so little done, so just know I am going to be focusing on this as soon as I can.

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Toshiro motioned to the nearest tower, and he and Ukitake raced to the door at its base. It would be easier to watch for an enemy's approach if they were in some sort of shelter, even if they were probably running directly into at least one Espada's hands. It would have been nice to know who Aizen was taking with him. Then they could have used Gin's map to know which tower was empty, but even so, they did know which Espada's tower they were taking shelter in.

But the room they entered was empty. A single, windowless, round room took up the entire base of the tower. Only a simple stair rose in a long curve up the wall to the second story. It was echoing, dark, and somehow menacing, but it would do for the first step.

Ukitake stepped back, away from the open doorway and the stairs, allowing Toshiro to watch both. Then he closed his eyes and Toshiro could sense the gathering reishi of an advanced kido. "Above the wind, beyond the stars, my voice calls, the Master hears."

There was a moment of complete silence and stillness, and Toshiro wondered if the kido could really work from a distance. He'd never heard of anything like the Kuchiki Family's trance to protect their secrets. If he'd come alone he would have had no way to wake Byakuya and would have had to bodily carry the captain out of Hueco Mundo. Even if his father was able to help, which seemed doubtful after so long in Aizen's hands, escaping with Byakuya would have been near impossible. Fortunately, the secret of the Kuchiki trance had been shared with three captains of the Gotei, Ukitake, Yamamoto, and Kyoraku. Like the highest ranked members of the Kuchiki House, they knew the kido to reach Byakuya. And if they were really lucky, the distance between them wouldn't matter.

Toshiro watched the door and the stairs while he waited. There was nothing else to do. It was up to Ukitake.

Finally, when he was about to give up, Ukitake spoke again. "Byakuya, we have come. If you can fight, now is the time to wake."

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Szayel was frowning down at a computer screen, trying to work out why nothing was working on the unconscious captain when, from across the room, a low voice said, "Hado 11: Tsuzuri Raiden."

There was a wail of agony and Szayel turned around in time to watch the fraccion who had been drawing another sample of the shinigami's blood quickly blacken and collapse as an enormous current of electricity cooked it alive.

The shinigami slowly sat up. The bonds of both kido and leather that had held him against the table fell away as easily as the cords and tubes that tied him to Szayel's machines. Slowly, the shinigami turned to look at Szayel. His once beautiful face was still a picture of perfect calm, but when those narrow eyes met Szayel's, a wave of absolute terror ran through the Espada.

"Fracciones, restrain the prisoner!" He shouted, pressing the intercom to summon every last one of his servants.

Still moving slowly and purposefully, the shinigami raised his left hand, looking down at it and frowning slightly as he did. "Hado 33: Sokatsui," he said, his tone still perfectly calm despite the fracciones rushing toward him.

No one in the room could escape from the blast. Waves of blue flames slammed into the fracciones and past them, destroying machines, tearing open walls and bringing down much of the ceiling.

The fracciones, if they had survived, were buried in rubble. Only Szayel still stood, his back to the gaping hole that revealed the blue sky and yellow sand of Las Noches. He stared at the shinigami who still looked as weak and helpless as any other of his experimental subjects; none of damage Szayel had inflicted had healed. He looked on the verge of collapse. He was trembling with the effort of simply sitting up, and yet, rather than collapsing, he was slowly getting to his feet, and his reiatsu, which had been barely readable in his unconscious state, was building rapidly.

"Where is Senbonzakura?" He asked, and there was a deadly threat in that cold, even tone.


	74. Chapter74

Shihoin Yoruichi frowned as she watched Urahara Kisuke reach out with his reiatsu, measuring the distance between himself and a number of points on the outer edges of Karakura.

"Are you sure about this, Kisuke," she asked, one last time.

Urahara sighed as he stood up. "Of course not. It's Plan F. No one is ever sure about Plan F. That's why they never use Plan F. Most people never have a Plan F because it's far too risky."

"Then why are we risking it?" She asked, frowning even more deeply.

"Because everyone was so impatient. Plans A through C required Ichigo to make it through Hollow training, and he hasn't even begun. We ought to have been able to fall back on D, but then Yamamoto didn't come thanks to Aizen stirring up the Four Families--I ought to have thought of that but who would have expected Yamamoto to agree to stay in Seireitei? He really is getting old--and Plan E was going to use Ichimaru, but he's stuck in Hueco Mundo, so Plan F it is. Fortunately, I think Aizen's been forced to Plan C at least. He didn't see Ichimaru's defection coming and that is something."

"How does that help us?" Yoruichi asked.

"Aizen didn't expect me to know the Hogoyku's true power when he was making all his plans, so if we're lucky he'll be very surprised when I borrow a bit of it."

"What if he's ready for that like he has been for everything else?"

"Then I suppose it's on to Plan G," Urahara said with a slight frown.

"What's Plan G?"

"Haven't got one yet," Urahara admitted. Then he motioned her back before he stepped onto a small X that had been marked on the ground.

A white column of light leapt up into the sky from where he stood and in a wide circle surrounding the entirety of Karakura fifty more beams of white arched up, rising into the sky to meet the first in a dome nearly half a mile high.


	75. Chapter75

"Well," Toshiro said, his head turning at the sound of an explosion. "I think we know where Kuchiki is."

Ukitake nodded. "We should hurry. I doubt he has the strength to fight his way out alone."

The tower they had chosen had been empty, but the moment Toshiro set foot outside once more a Hollow rose up out of the sand to block his path. He drew Hyorinmaru to cut it down easily, but then another emerged and then another, one after another, stupid, mindless Hollows that were more irritating than dangerous. The only problem was they kept getting in the way.

"Let me handle them!" he said, suddenly realizing that there was one way such small fry could be a danger. Ukitake's energy was limited. He could exhaust himself slaughtering a hundred Hollows even if every one of them died on the first hit. He'd be in less danger against a singular Arrancar he could go all out against. At least that would be a fight he could end quickly.

Ukitake paused in the doorway. "If that's what you would prefer, Shiro-kun," he agreed.

"Reign over the Frosted Heavens!" Toshiro shouted, in annoyance after cutting down the thirtieth Hollow and seeing that just as many more were climbing out of the sand. He sent a pair of ice dragons spiraling outward smashing into one Hollow after another, taking them down as quickly as they could rise. It was an annoying waste of shikai, but it did the job, and eventually the stupid things stopped coming.

Finally he lowered Hyorinmaru and turned back to Ukitake. "We'd better get--"

With a thundering roar, a giant Hollow rose up behind him, a hollow made of sand.

Toshiro barely turned as he swung Hyorinmaru in the direction of the monster. A wave of ice surged out, instantly encasing the entire Hollow. "--going before something dangerous actually notices us," he finished.

An enormous reiatsu suddenly hit them and a tall, thin Arrancar appeared in the sand near the frozen sand-hollow. He grinned as he held a weapon of two moon-shaped blades twice as tall as he was. "Not bad kiddo," he said, mockingly. "Maybe you can give me a bit of a fight. Aizen-sama says you both have to be dead before I get to join the real battle, so what do you say we get this over with?"

Toshiro turned, gripping Hyorinmaru with both hands. This was the first Arrancar he had seen for himself, and he finally understood how his mother and Nanao could have been frozen into inaction by the appearance of one in his home. Something this powerful should not be allowed. The thought of it near his little brother and sister was absolutely terrifying, but right now there was no one else in danger who had to be protected. He could fight this thing without fear, and he would win. "Sorry, but you're not going to join the battle," he told it. "I'm going to kill you now."

The Arrancar's smile only grew. "You talk big for such a tiny shinigami. You're Gin's boy, aren't you? I'm Nnoitra Gilga, the Cuarta Espada, and I'm going to enjoy tearing you apart."

"Captain Ukitake, I can handle this one," Toshiro said, glancing back at the other captain. "If you can help Kuchiki and find my dad."

"If you're certain," Ukitake answered, his eyes on the Espada who radiated reiatsu as strong as any captain.

"I am," Toshiro answered firmly.

"You got more guts than your old man, I'll give you that, chibi," Nnoitra said. "He hid behind that pretty-boy captain till he could get in a backstab."

The Espada stuck out his tongue, displaying the four tattooed there, and for a second Toshiro was surprised at how juvenile he was, making faces at them, but then a yellow cero began to form, and he barely had time to call, "Look out!" before he was dodging out of the way of the enormous blast.

The tower behind him collapsed and a huge cloud of dust rose up to block Toshiro's view for a moment. He looked around quickly to see Ukitake emerge from the dust cloud in the opposite direction and start toward the explosion they'd heard earlier, where they could now sense Kuchiki Byakuya and another Espada size reiatsu.

"Tesra!" Nnoitra shouted and another Arrancar appeared, blocking Ukitake's path with his sword drawn.

Toshiro had no chance to help the other captain before Nnoitra rushed forward, swinging his enormous weapon. He was pushed back several feet by the force of the blow when he blocked with Hyorinmaru. He'd never felt that kind of strength. He imagined it must be something like Kenpachi.

He had no chance standing against that kind of physical force, but he didn't have to. That was what Hyorinmaru was for. He lept back, at the same time sending ice dragons rushing at Nnoitra. All he had to do was keep a distance between them and watch out for ceros. He could beat this Espada.

Nnoitra chased after him, smashing through the ice dragons with ease, and Toshiro flew back across the sand when their blades connected.

"You're not as much fun as I was hoping for," Nnoitra told him. "Don't know why they gave you that captain's haori. You're weak, chibi, nothing but a little kid."

"And you're a fool if you think I can be beaten through brute force," Toshiro answered, and he sent a wave of ice that caught the giant weapon and froze it to the ground.

He jumped forward, following after the ice and slashed Hyorinmaru across the Arrancar's unprotected chest.

There was no mark. Toshiro jumped back as Nnoitra pulled his weapon free. He could not believe what he was seeing. Hyorinmaru had not even been able to cut the Espada. It couldn't be. Hyorinmaru was one of the most powerful zanpakuto in all of Soul Society. What was this monster?

Nnoitra's grin grew. "My hiero is the strongest of all the Espada," he bragged. "Your little knife can't do anything to me, chibi. You can't hurt even hurt me."

"Bankai," Toshiro said, raising his zanpakuto. "Daiguren Hyorinmaru."


	76. Chapter 76

The world shifted abruptly as they were surrounded by a dome of white beams of reishi. The hollow masks vanished from the faces of the Visored, and those holding their zanpakuto in shikai found themselves suddenly holding simple zanpakuto.

The failure of shikai extended even to Aizen whose complex illusion dissolved before his eyes. He was struck by an unfamiliar feeling of anger as he realized Urahara Kisuke had sealed shikai, bankai, and resurreccion in one fell swoop. He, as the creator of the Hogyoku had invented a kido to influence the will of the Hogyoku itself. His desire had caused the Hogyoku to make the binding kido stronger than even he was capable of. The Hogyoku granted the strongest wishes of those nearby, and Urahara had managed to reach it.

Aizen pulled out the stone and glared at it. He felt a sense of betrayal realizing that his was not the only desire it would respond to. He had believed his will would overwhelm any other. He had studied the stone, used it to perfect his army, but in the end it still recognized its first master. It would take time to break Urahara's influence.

Kyoraku chuckled suddenly. The Visored were visibly upset, but he was smiling. "Fancy a match, Sosuke-kun?" he asked, drawing his twin blades.

Aizen looked back at him coldly. Then he looked toward his Arrancar. "Kill the man at the center of this barrier. That is your only mission."

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"Your zanpakuto has been sealed!" Szayel answered. "I have locked it within a barrier you cannot possibly unlock. You will never be able to reach it and without it you cannot possibly defeat me."

"Hado 31: Shakkahou," Byakuya said, sending a ball of brilliant red energy at the Espada.

He had barely bothered to aim it, and Szayel dodged the blast easily. Byakuya didn't seem to notice, he was too busy scanning the ruined room for any sign of sealing kido.

Although the entire room had taken damage and most of the walls were cracked or entirely broken, there was a length of wall with a single door that stood undamaged. A closer look told him why. The door and wall were part of a barrier that encased the entire room beyond.

He lifted his left hand again, reminding him of his missing right hand and adding to the rage he was barely containing.

Szayel attacked then, attempting to take advantage when Byakuya had looked away. He used sonido to flash behind Byakuya, and swung his sword through the space where the shinigami had been standing, but Byakuya was already ten feet behind him.

"Hado: 33," he said, releasing the blinding blue flames of Sokatsui once more, this time catching Szayel and the sealed room in the center of the blast.

But then his knees gave out, and he caught himself on the melted mass of a computer hub.

The Espada had fallen to his knees. He had taken the brunt of the kido and looked much the worse for it, but when the flames faded he raised his head. He smiled at the Gotei Captain; Byakuya was trembling badly as he held himself up with his only arm.

"You are strong," Szayel said as he rose to his feet. "But not nearly strong enough. I will end this fight now, and move on to my real work. I intend to take my time dissecting you. I am very curious to see how after taking so much damage you are even able to stand. I did not want to make too much of a mess of you, but I think it is time I allowed you to see my true power. Fornicaras, sip."

He raised his sword and swallowed it like some sort of circus performer. A glow of pink reishi surrounded him as the power of resurreccion transformed him.

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Ukitake frowned as he watched the young-seeming Arrancar dissolve in the power of his own cero. He felt an unfamiliar sadness at its destruction. Usually the end of a hollow was a relief, and the knowledge of a soul freed added to the triumph of an enemy vanquished, but these Arrancar were too close to shinigami. Instead of mindless beings of hunger and destruction, they appeared to have thoughts and feelings. They had controlled the pain that had created the hollow in the first place and found themselves again as thinking beings.

But they were still hollows, tainted human souls, whose only hope was a second death. Only then could they move on to Soul Society and rejoin the cycle of death and rebirth. So he killed this Tesra and moved on, racing across the sand of Las Noches to reach Byakuya. The young captain had been a prisoner for days; he would need help to escape.

He spared one glance back at Toshiro, but he need not have worried. The boy had immediately realized the need for bankai and was holding his own against the Fourth Espada. Toshiro was strong and intelligent. He would not be killed by an Arrancar whose only weapon was brute strength.

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The moment Komamura had arrived had been the end for the Menos Grande. Despite the fact that the Garganta had closed, the Ninth had begun to lag, losing ground and losing men as exhaustion overtook them. The arrival of the Seventh infused them with new hope and strength, and together the Ninth and the Seventh were driving back the hoard of Gillians.

Then Komamura himself joined the fight. The giant armored samurai that was his bankai mowed down Gillians, slashing through one after another, finally bringing an end to the battle.

But there was no time for either division to rest. The call came from Seireitei. The center of Soul Society was under attack. Every shinigami was to return to defend the city.


	77. Chapter77

More than a hundred Gillians had emerged from the Garganta before they were followed by a hollow more enormous than anything Kira had ever seen before. It looked like some sort of construct of enormous gray bags piled together into an only vaguely animal shape. It had a singular yellow eye in the mass that was its head and a small round mouth that blew out a gust of breath carrying the stench of death.

Many unranked shinigami, already fighting desperately against the Gillians were overwhelmed by the smell and the appearance of such an enormous being. There were shouts of fear and horror and many tried to run.

"Hold your ground!" Kira shouted at them. If they turned their backs on the Gillians they would all die. They had to stand and fight, no matter how desperate the situation.

Then the thing's face split open, and its mouth became a gaping hole. Black liquid poured out, growing up into dozens upon dozens more Gillians. Kira's heart sank at the sight. How could they ever stop such an endless flood?

Then, one after another, Arrancar began stepping through the Garganta. They were so small compared to the monster they followed, but their reiatsu hit with overwhelming force.

Normal shinigami broke ranks and ran. The Arrancar radiated strength as great as any captain. Being in the presence of a singular reiatsu so huge and filled will murderous intent was unbearable for any but the strongest shinigami, and more kept stepping through the Garganta. Even Kira was fighting back his growing fear. He could not blame the others for running.

"Roar, Zabimaru!"

Kira spun around to see Renji swing Zabimaru straight at the Gillian spewing monster. The zanpakuto tore through the gray mass, shattering it into clouds of gray. It had looked like the greater threat but the Arrancar who had stood in its shadow would be far more difficult to destroy.

Of the Arrancar who stood there were two Kira had heard described as Espada, the giant Yammy and the emotionless Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra held onto the collar of a blond boy who squatted beside him with a strange wide-eyed expression. Kira easily sensed that all three were stronger than he was. Spread out below them were a group Kira had never heard of, the Privaron Espada, and other weaker Arrancar Aizen had sent simply to increase the chaos at the gate of Seireitei.

One of the Arrancar, a muscular male with an enormous orange Afro, flashed forward as the giant hollow burst and knocked back Zabimaru with nothing but his arm.

That, Kira thought, was not a good sign. That was one of the Arrancar he had judged to be weaker. His grip tightened on Wabisuke.

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Ukitake barely dodged out of the way as blobs of black goo flew out in a wide arc from the broken room. He could see an Espada in its resurreccion form towering over Byakuya as the captain held up a kido shield. As Ukitake watched Byakuya slipped to his knees, but he continued to maintain his shield.

"How much longer can you maintain your kido shield, shinigami?" Szayel asked. "You are already weakening. Soon you will not be able to protect yourself from my Fornicaras, and I will take you apart piece by piece."

One of his long wings slammed down into Byakuya's shield.

"You no longer have the strength to attack. All you can do is hide behind that wall, cowering as it weakens with you. Your fear must be overwhelming as you watch death approach, knowing you are powerless, helpless, weak."

The shield vanished, and Byakuya said, "Hado 31: Shakkaho!" This time the kido blast exploded in the Espada's face scorching him badly.

Immediately the Espada's wings reached out to grab the unshielded captain, but Ukitake was there blocking the groping limbs with his zanpakuto.

"Another captain?" Szayel said, drawing back his wings as he surveyed this new opponent. "Captain Ukitake, of the Thirteenth? Aizen said you would be coming for the prisoners. You are not much of a challenge, though, are you? Long illness has reduced your endurance, and your strength is not great unless I make an attack you can turn back on me."

"And you are Szayel Aporro Granz," Ukitake answered. "Gin-kun described you as a parasite. All of your attacks require contact, do they not?"

"A parasite?!?" Szayel demanded, looking highly insulted. "My attacks are perfection itself, using the strength of my enemies to increase my own power. It is not unlike your own zanpakuto's strategy. Only mine have far greater range and creativity. I have many ways to destroy my enemies. You are limited to reacting."

"Perhaps," Ukitake answered, as he blocked Szayel again, for the moment keeping up with the reaching limbs. "Byakuya-kun, another shield would be helpful if you can manage it."

"Bakudo 44: Sekisho," Byakuya said, throwing up a new barrier that blocked the Espada's attacks completely.

"Thank you," Ukitake said, then he sheathed his zanpakuto and raised open hands toward the Espada. "The crest of turbidity seeping out. An insolent vessel of madness. Boiling up, denying, numbness, blinking, obstructing slumber. The steel princess who creeps. The mud doll, ever disintegrating. Unite! Oppose! Filling the earth, know your own impotence! Hado 90: Kurohitsugi."

A black box formed around Szayel taking up nearly the entire, rubble-filled space and dozens of spears of energy pierced it, lacerating the Espada.

When the box vanished the Espada was on the ground, broken and bloody. After a moment the still form dissolved, vanishing from their sight.

Ukitake closed his eyes and drew a deep breath.

Byakuya forced himself to his feet. "Do not push yourself too far, Captain," he said coolly. "It is not necessary."

Ukitake smiled. "I would have left him to you to handle, but you know me, I do not have the patience to watch another fight."

Byakuya's eyes narrowed and anger sparked in his depths, but after a moment he looked away. "Your arrival was timely. Without Senbonzakura my situation was--disadvantageous."

"Then we must find Senbonzakura and likely Shinso as well. Do you know where Gin-kun is imprisoned?"


	78. Chapter78

Byakuya led the way across the rubble to the least damaged section of wall where a door which had recently been locked with a powerful barrier now hung askew on its hinges. It scraped the floor as he shoved it open, and gave way to a small dim room. The only light came from the doorway and a few cracks in the wall and ceiling.

Gin hung limp against the wall with chained wrists supporting his entire weight. His head drooped and he appeared to be unconscious, but as they stepped into the room, his voice could be heard. He spoke too softly to be understood but without pausing even when the door opened.

"Here's Ichimaru," Byakuya said. "Or what's left of him."

"Kuchiki-dono," Gin said abruptly, and much more clearly although he did not attempt to raise his head. "Please excuse me, sir. I was looking for someone--not that he would notice my Ran, doesn't even see her, beautiful as she is. I'd like to slit his throat after the way he snubbed her last week, but Aizen wouldn't like it. I could do it easy enough--"

"Gin-kun," Ukitake said, interrupting before Gin could go into the details of a murder he'd considered, it must have been well over half a century ago if he was calling Byakuya 'dono' rather than 'Captain'. He had slipped into a memory of Byakuya at the sound of his voice and was sharing thoughts and feelings as well as what he had said, sharing them as he experienced them again. Ukitake had a horrible feeling that he knew exactly what they had given Gin, and he wasn't sure what they were going to do if he was right.

"Captain Ukitake?" Gin answered, sounding surprised. Then he continued, "What's he doing up? Better for him if he'd stay in bed. Aizen might forget about him, least for now."

Ukitake reached out and very gently raised Gin's chin; his face was so badly bruised and battered even touching him was bound to cause pain.

"I'm sorry, Mama. I'll be good. I'll be--"

"Gin-kun, can you see where you are?" Ukitake asked.

"He's gone," Byakuya said as he hit a sealed case with a low level kido. "They've used one of Kurotsuchi's interrogation serums. You've seen what it does to a man. His mind's shattered. We should end his life now. It will make it easier to take his body back to Soul Society."

Ukitake glanced over to watch Byakuya lift Senbonzakura from the case. He frowned at the young captain's complete disregard for his colleague. It wasn't surprising, but still-- "It's not always permanent," Ukitake answered. He did not add that that was usually at lower doses, and it was unlikely the Aizen's mad scientist Espada would have used a low dose.

"Captured," Gin said abruptly. "I'm just another lab rat--I've brought you another lab rat. I don't know this one's name. I found him in Rukongai. He looked pretty tough, but he won't stop crying--I wish he'd shut up. He can't possibly think I care--I doubt you can do much with him. He'll break in a--"

Byakuya watched Gin's rambling with clear disgust. He had hung Senbonzakura on his belt and was holding Shinso. "Death is better than he deserves," he said coolly. "And he is useless for anything like this. What is the point of bringing this back?"

"Gin-kun!" Ukitake said sharply. "Look around you. See where you are. We need you here."

Gin turned his head slowly, and for the first time since they'd entered the room he was silent. He stood abruptly, jerking the chains on his wrists. "Captured; I remember captured, drugged." He looked up at the two captains. "Must be seeing things."

He stood abruptly, gasping in pain as he did. "Guess they went easy on me." He looked down almost curiously. His shihakusho had been torn open, and there was plenty of dried blood on his bare chest but it looked like most of it had come from his face, and a nice long slash he could feel curving down the length of his neck. He could see and feel multiple bruises and some nicely cracked ribs, but all things considered, it wasn't bad. He must have been cooperating.

He forced a smile to his split and bloody lips as he raised his head to the captains. "Hello. Wouldn't have thought I'd pick you for my rescuers. What happened to your arm, Kuchiki? Did you lose it somewhere?"

Byakuya's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

"Gin-kun, you're not seeing things," Ukitake told him as he reached up and the cuff on one wrist and then the other. "We need you to stay present so we can get you out of Hueco Mundo. Can you do that?"

"Not likely. You sure you're real? I thought Ran was here but she left, and I was alone, all alone, always," his voice faded, and he slumped back against the wall. "Why do I keep walking? It's all empty, the road, the world..."

His voice had faded until they could no longer hear him.

Byakuya stepped forward. "Get up, you worthless piece of garbage. I gave your wife my word I would bring you back to her. If you will not walk I will bring her your body, but you are going home."

"Home?' Gin repeated, suddenly straightening. "Home to Ran. I promised."

"I cannot fathom why she wants you, but she does," Byakuya answered, shoving Shinso into Gin's hands. "The woman has terrible taste, but I gave her my word, so move."

Gin stumbled forward. "I have to go home," he said, nodding to himself. "I promised Ran. I have to go home."


	79. Chapter79

Kira wasn't sure what to do. He was holding back three Arrancar on his own, and nearby Renji was struggling to do the same. There was no way he could hold on for long three on one, but he couldn't see help coming. Kurotsuchi on the ground below was trying to keep his forces focused on the Gillians, shielding the civilians from what felt like a never ending hoard. One at a time the Twelfth Division attacks were taking the towering hollows down, but the remaining Gillians sent back ceros their barriers could barely hold back. Kurotsuchi was rushing back and forth among his troops, reinforcing their barriers and improving their attacks. He had no time to waste helping Kira or Renji with their Arrancar problems.

Kira had felt a moment's relief when Soifon appeared with Omaeda behind her, but she ignored the two lieutenants and their fights. She charged straight for the Espada. Others immediately jumped in her path, preventing her from coming anywhere close.

That worried Kira even more than his own uncomfortable position. The Espada were obviously waiting for something. The shorter one, the one he thought was called Ulquiorra, was standing there with absolute calm, watching everything that happened. He didn't seem to be directing the fight; he had yet to speak a word, but he was clearly there for some reason.

In the meantime Gillians were getting closer and closer to the gate. Kira told himself they wouldn't be able to get through, even if they could break through Kurotsuchi's defensive line the wall itself was impenetrable. It was impossible for any enemy to break into Seireitei, but then he'd catch sight of the three Arrancar still waiting to join the fight, and he was afraid.

As he struggled to fight back three attacks at once, he sensed the approach of a new reiatsu, coming from outer Rukongai. It had to be a captain, maybe Komamura or even Zaraki could have found his way back in time. For a moment Kira's heart soared; help was coming, but then Tosen appeared, looking strange in white robes, and standing beside the Espada.

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A sound like distant thunder broke the stillness that had descended upon inner Seireitei. Rangiku looked down one last time at the three small children curled up together, locked in a kido induced sleep for as long as she needed them to be, and safe, in the dimension her friends had created to protect them. Nothing could reach them there, she assured herself once more.

Then she turned away and faced Rukia. The girl was trembling as she sat stiffly on the tatami floor. Her hands were fisted on her lap, and every breath she took was forced.

"It's your turn, Rukia-chan," Rangiku said, trying to sound light and careless, anything to keep the girl from panicking again.

"I don't want to sleep," Rukia said firmly. "I don't want to be useless anymore. Everyone I care about is fighting. I can't be the only one who hides."

"You're not the only one who's useless," Rangiku answered. "I'm a lieutenant. I should be out there with my division. I don't even know where they're assigned. For all I know my captain, my son, is in the middle of that fight out there, and I'm not allowed to be out there with him where I'm supposed to be. He doesn't have the support he should because I'm here, and I have absolutely no choice about it.

"Sometimes that's just the way it is. You have to be here. I have to be here. Poor Nemu's out of the Gotei entirely. All any of us get to do is wait. It feels stupid and unfair, but honestly, Rukia, neither you nor I are in any shape to fight."

Rukia frowned back at Rangiku. "Then why are you wearing your zanpakuto?" she demanded.

Rangiku gripped Haineko's hilt, and for a second she wondered if she would have to draw it—but she wasn't about to tell Rukia that. Instead she said, "Because it makes me feel a little less useless--look, you're going to have to wait this out one way or another. You're not going to get to fight. Why make yourself miserable when you could just sleep it out?"

Rukia raised her head and spoke with that Kuchiki pride she had once known so well. "If waiting is all that I can do then that is what--"

Rukia fell silent as Nemu held up her hand in front of the girl's face. Her pupils grew wider for a moment, and then she sank to the floor.

Rangiku frowned as she watched the woman lift Rukia like she weighed nothing and carry her to the shielded space. From time to time it was very obvious that Nemu was not a normal woman.

"She is getting better," Rangiku said although she wasn't better enough.

Nemu laid Rukia down beside the children and closed the barrier.

"Yes," she agreed. "She is, but it is likely that each time the sirens go off she will panic again. We cannot spend all of our time calming her. We must prepare in case an Arrancar makes it inside the walls. Unless you were serious when you told her your only duty was to wait?"

Rangiku smiled. "You're getting much better at telling when somebody's lying."

"Thank you. I have been working very hard to identify all types of deception."

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There was not enough water in the air. Every attack was using every ounce of water Hyorinmaru could gather, absorbing previous attacks to make the next. He would have risked Tenso Jurin if he could have; it wouldn't have been a real tragedy to catch a few stray Arrancar in a storm, but there just wasn't enough water.

Toshiro had never imagined a problem like this. The only thing bankai was good for like this was the fact that he could now cut through Nnoitra's hiero. The whole thing was down to a very fast duel where he was almost constantly dodging the Espada's absurdly huge moon-scythe—at least he wielded it like a scythe.

He'd caught Nnoitra in ice a couple times and managed to get in a few strikes, but the Espada hadn't slowed down any despite the fact that he was now bleeding. In fact he seemed to be having a fantastic time. His grin had grown, and he'd actually praised Toshiro. He wanted the danger of a battle where he was risking his life.

Toshiro was quite certain his opponent was insane, but it didn't make any difference. He was deadly dangerous. All he had to do was make a mistake and he would die.


	80. Chapter80

Ukitake was supporting Gin as they stumbled across the sand. It wasn't the best arrangement, but Byakuya was not doing nearly as well as he claimed. He could hold his head as high as he wanted, but Ukitake could see the way his muscles trembled as he forced them to obey his iron will. He would bleed out before he admitted he needed help.

Gin was not as badly injured, but he couldn't focus. Even with his arm over Ukitake's shoulder he kept forgetting to walk and sometimes struggled to stand.

Once he burst out laughing. His laughter sounded very strange in the stillness of Hueco Mundo, where the only sounds were those of Toshiro's distant fight.

"I am sorry," he told Ukitake, leaning on him even more heavily. "I really don't drink you know. It's all Kyoraku's fault. He really doesn't have to fill up my glass every time I empty it--it is nice of him, though, including me. Probably has some motive behind it; old Kyoraku, he's always thinking a few steps ahead, only pretending to be an idiot." His voice dropped and his tone changed as he continued, talking to himself. "He always sees me. How? Am I really so incompetent? I've worked so hard to go unnoticed. How can there be so much difference in our skill? I have to do better. Aizen is stronger. I'm so far behind. I can't catch up. It's too far. I'm nothing. It's all hopeless. It always was. All that I've done and still, I'll fail."

Ukitake tried to ignore Gin's rambling as well as Byakuya did, but it was difficult. Every memory that came to him devolved into some other darker memory, Gin was reliving moments of pain and fear and despair. No matter how often he was brought back to the present he slipped back into his past. There was no real way to fight it. Kurotsuchi had named the compound Poison Dreams, but his men called it The Mind's Suicide as the victim's entire mind was devoured by an unending flood of the worst of their memories. Most test subjects that regained a measure of lucidity had killed themselves within a week of a single dose. There was a reason they'd put a stop to most of Kurotsuchi's shinigami testing.

There was a thundering crash up ahead and an entire tower collapsed under the impact of an enormous cero. Toshiro flashed by with a shout of, "Stay back!" and Nnoitra chased after him.

Gin straightened suddenly and took a step away from Ukitake. He was suddenly focused, and all his energy was focused on the boy knocking back the Espada's attacks. "Shiro?" he said very softly, and there was absolute terror in that one word.

"He's holding his own," Ukitake said. "And I can help him if he needs it. Nothing is going to happen to your son."

At that moment Toshiro blocked an enormous swing and was sent flying backwards into a cracked tower, smashing it in concentric circles. He was stunned for just a second.

Gin raised his hand, holding it palm up in the direction of the Espada. "Kill, Kamishini no Yari."

The Espada began to dissolve the moment he spoke. The tiny sliver of Shinso Gin had left in his back released its poison on command, and Nnoitra was doomed. He managed only one snarl of fury before he dissolved completely.

Toshiro was left staring at the empty sand, trying to work out what had just happened. Slowly his eyes moved to the three captains, and he saw his father still slowly lowering his hand. That, he realized abruptly, was his father's real bankai. The one hit attack that had been created for a single purpose, to kill Aizen.

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The light faded to the dancing light of the fire that warmed their little home. Its heat was the only warmth protecting them from the icy storm that chilled through the thin walls. But it didn't really matter. All that mattered was Rangiku, smiling so beautifully. She was so happy.

The baby in her arms was as pale as he was. Poor thing, he was sorry about that. He never wanted to curse anyone with his coloring, or anything else, it was a curse to be his. He should never have let this happen. The child was doomed.

He could feel the infant's reiatsu. It was too bright, too strong. Aizen would want him. He wanted all the most gifted young shinigami, the most impressionable, the ones he could mold into his loyal followers.

Gin felt physically sick as he realized that this innocent baby, Rangiku's baby, would be taken and made into another slave for Aizen, and he would have to stand by and watch it happen.

Rangiku was so happy. She had no idea he had cursed her son. She--

"Dad! Dad!"

Toshiro's voice broke through the fog, and Gin remembered where he was, under Aizen's artificial sky in the fortress of Las Noches. He tried to put together how he'd gotten there, but it was all scrambled. He hurt, a lot, but he couldn't quite put together why. Had he been captured? Then why was he here?

He looked around slowly. It was still and silent. The yellow sand spread out vast and empty. Their group seemed to be the only living things anywhere. There was Kuchiki fairly drenched with blood, and Ukitake was helping him stand, how strange. And right in front of his, looking both angry and worried, was Toshiro.

"You came for me?" he said, and he couldn't help smiling. He didn't know how or why but Toshiro had come.

"What was I gonna do, let you rot in Aisen's dungeon?"

"That is what I expected," he answered. Then his smile became bigger but also a lot more fake. "It's better than I deserve."

The light changed, becoming cold and clinical, and his nostrils were filled with the smell of blood and chemicals. He was standing in a laboratory with shinigami strapped to tables all around him. They were all dead, all except the woman next to him. The experimental compound had failed to work on her. "Please, please," she whispered, staring at him with terror-filled eyes. "You're just a child. You don't have to do this. Untie me and I'll get us both out of here. Please."

Her eyes were too much like Rangiku's, big and round and pale blue. He didn't like it. It made him think of Rangiku afraid, Rangiku hurting like this woman was--but she wasn't. As long as he was here he could watch Aizen, and he could learn to stop him. This woman had to die. Everyone had to die, and he had to be the monster that murdered them.

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A huge smile stretched across Gin's face and he said, "Goodbye."

"What's wrong with him?" Toshiro demanded.

"Kurotsuchi's Poison Dreams," Kuchiki said coldly, but even he couldn't quite meet Toshiro's eyes when he told him.

"They have that here?" Toshiro demanded. He didn't want to believe it. He couldn't. After they'd come so far, to find him like this. It was almost worse than finding him dead. How was he supposed to take this home to his mother? So she could do what? Listen to every bleak memory of his father's life with every bit of fear and pain and grief and anger graphically described over and over until his father finally died of sheer mental exhaustion?

"I imagine even Aizen could not devise anything more effective," Ukitake said softly. "Don't give up, Shiro-kun. We knew there was not much hope when we came, but we have found them both, and they are still alive. Captain Kuchiki is still able to fight, and your father was able to find his way back long enough to help you. He may be able to fight Kurotsuchi's drug.

"Right now we have to worry about getting back in time to help everyone else. Aizen had gone to Karakura. We must try to go after him."

"I know," Toshiro said, forcing himself to ignore his father's muttering. "Can you reach Nemu?"

That had been the plan: rescue everyone and call back to Soul Society for a new Garganta formed on their end. Holding a Garganta open in Las Noches obviously wasn't going to be possible. Having Nemu make them a new one had been their best bet. But watching Ukitake pull out his phone and frown at it made Toshiro realize they were going to have to move on to plan B, using the gate Kurotsuchi had left some nine hours outside of Las Noches.

"So we're walking then?" he said with a sigh. No wonder Aizen had left them with so few Arrancar to challenge them. He expected them to be trapped here. He could retrap or kill them at his leisure.

"Unless you think we might find something in Aizen's mad scientist's laboratory."

"Shouldn't Ichimaru know how to make a Garganta?" Kuchiki asked. "I sincerely doubt he would have gone back and forth between here and Soul Society for nearly a century without learning how to do so himself. He is not the type to allow himself to be trapped by a lack of knowledge."


	81. Chapter81

Orihime closed her eyes as Ichigo carried her across the battlefield that had been Karakura's industrial district. Damage had been limited by Urahara's seal, but a bunch of Arrancar and shinigami fighting it out was still hard on human construction. When Orihime remembered that Aizen's goal was the destruction of the entire town to create some sort of key she felt sick with fear. She didn't see how they were going to stop him.

The shinigami still had their kido, but the Arrancar still had their ceros, and she'd already patched up Risa after she'd tried to take on all three of Halibel's fracciones at once. The Visored were outnumbered, and the Arrancar were taking advantage of that. Orihime had only half-healed Risa before they heard the sound of a cero exploding and Shinji shout, "Hiyori!"

Ichigo had resented this assignment when he'd first gotten it. Orihime could tell. He wanted to be in the middle of things, helping to fight against Aizen. It was who he was. He couldn't stand to stay on the sidelines. If he'd had any less respect for Captain Kyoraku he wouldn't have done it.

She hoped he could see how important he was now. If he hadn't been here, protecting her, there was no way she could have helped anyone. He'd had to hold back the Arrancar that had brought down Risa, blocking attack after attack they sent at him jusr so she could heal her.

Then he'd had to shield her and Risa as they struggled to cross a city block, trying to reach Hiyori in time, trying to hurry but still having to go slow enough for the injured Visored to keep up. Kaien must have seen them running because he sent a kido blast at Halibel's fracciones, drawing their attention to him, despite the fact he was already fighting Lupi.

Ichigo paused for a second, watching the lieutenant struggle to dodge the cero one sent in return, while blocking Lupi's next attack.

"Hiyori needs Orihime!" Risa reminded him.

"Right," he agreed, turning away from the fight, knowing his duty to get Orihime to the injured came first.

They found Hiyori laying in Shinji's arms; her blood had drenched them both. He had abandoned his fight against Aizen to catch her as she fell, leaving Kyoraku to fight him alone, and now he held up a barrier to shield her.

Orihime gasped at the sight. Hiyori had a long, deep gash across her chest, and for a second Orihime thought they were too late. She called her servants as quickly as she could. "Soten Kisshun, I reject!"

Risa dropped to her knees beside them, struggling a little to breathe after forcing herself to go as quickly as she could, still injured. "What happened?"

Golden light spread out, enveloping Hiyori, and Orihime said, "It's ok. We made it in time." She wasn't sure if she was trying to reassure them or herself. She didn't want to watch anyone die.

"The chibi idiot tried to take on the blond one," Shinji told them, gesturing toward the sky.

They looked up in time to see Mashiro take a flying kick at Halibel, who blocked it easily. Kensai came up from the other direction, but the Espada flashed out of his way, taking a swing back at him with her sword as soon as she moved. He barely managed to dodge.

At that moment Kyoraku went flying into a building, and they all turned just in time to see Rojuro pierced through by Aizen's zanpakuto. The ex-captain had jumped into the fight to take Shinji's place.

Ichigo was running before he had time to even think. He reached the fallen Visored in seconds. He couldn't bring Orihime to him, but he could bring Rojuro to Orihime. He was about to pick him up when he heard a very familiar voice.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, how disappointing. You're still not strong enough."

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"Tosen! You traitor!" Soifon shouted, abruptly shunpoing away from the Arrancar she had been fighting to meet Tosen in the sky.

"Captain Soifon," Tosen said calmly. "How can you call me a traitor when you are the head of the Shihoin House, one of the Four Great Houses, whose corruption and hunger for power has continued the rule of injustice in Soul Society for thousands of years?"

"We have an honorable history and are known to uphold the rule of law. We are the enforcers of law," she said referring to the Punishment Squad under her command. "You have allied yourself with a murderer."

"Aizen only kills to continue his cause. Death for the greater good is not murder; it is necessary sacrifice. I know at least two captains of the Gotei, Ichimaru and Zaraki, kill for the pleasure of killing. They are murders without remorse. But the Gotei chooses to allow them to hold positions of the highest rank and honor. The Gotei values their power over true justice which would condemn them. We are not traitors. We have come to free Soul Society from the corrupt injustice of the Gotei.

"And you, Captain Soifon, have the honor of being the first captain to die." He lifted Suzumushi and brought his right hand to it. "Suzumushi Tsuishiki: Field Cricket."

The ring on his zanpakuto began to spin, releasing reiatsu as it grew, spinning into glowing rings, encircling Tosen. At the same moment as Tosen brought his sword down, Soifon realized her danger and raced forward with her right finger and its deadly claw extended.

Then both captains vanished from view, trapped within the black globe of Tosen's bankai.


	82. Chapter82

Sorry about this—I thought I had posted this Friday

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Toshiro gazed at his father with a frown on his face. While Ukitake was using his limited healing abilities to patch up Kuchiki, he was supposed to try to reach his father and bring him back to reality long enough to create a Garganta. That seemed real likely.

Gin was currently sitting on the sand with his head bowed to his knees, mumbling something about despising himself for not caring what happened to some small company of shinigami Toshiro had never heard of, that Gin had apparently been sent to dispose of. He'd noticed a theme to most of the memories. They seemed to be a combination of self-hatred and a desperate need to protect Rangiku, often accompanied by fear of failure. Only a few were memories of fear for his own wellbeing or of his own physical pain. It showed Toshiro how completely single-minded Gin had been in his quest to protect Rangiku by destroying Aizen.

"You gave up your chance so you could protect me," Toshiro said. He was beginning to see what that really meant in the context of an entire life spent giving everything to that singular goal. He couldn't really understand it. He honestly couldn't understand much about his father, not that he ever had, but ever since Gin had stepped in front of Aizen's shield everything he thought he knew had been gradually falling apart. He was finding this new picture of his father even more incomprehensible.

Gin raised his head abruptly at the sound of Toshiro's voice. "Hello, Shiro—wait, I think we already did that bit. You came for me. I do appreciate it, but I'm afraid it's too late. I've been drugged, and the effects are pretty well permanent. I'm doing my best to focus because I do want to say thank you, and tell you I'm sorry and all that...and could you tell...Ran...tell Ran..." His words faded as his attention wavered.

"How could this possibly be useful for interrogations?" Toshiro muttered, but he could see how completely open his father was in this state. It would only be a matter of guiding his attention, and Gin would tell him anything.

"Dad, I need you here," he said firmly, and immediately Gin's eyes returned to him.

"I am here, more or less. I've thought about this before, how to deal with Kurotsuchi's Poison Dreams and kind of worked out a strategy. I think I should be able to hold on for a few minutes, as my brain hasn't gone completely to jelly yet. I think I can do some things as long as they don't take too long, so what do you need?"

"A Garganta. Can you make a Garganta?"

"Course I can. I've learned a lot of useful things, too, following Aizen for the past hundred years. It's not all been slaughtering innocents. He's an excellent teacher, you know. He makes his students want to learn, want to succeed, want to do whatever it takes to please him," Gin's attention was starting to shift. "I can do more. I can be a better student than anyone. I'm smarter and stronger, and he will see me. No one else will even compare. He won't be able to resist bringing me in, teaching me more, teaching me everything I need to know to defeat him--"

"Dad, am I losing you?"

Gin straightened up and forced his swollen eyes to open wide to meet Toshiro's gaze. "Sorry, no, I'm here for the moment. I can't stop the memories so I'm trying to guide them, like an inquisitor would. Just have to stick to the topic at hand, right? As long as I can stay on task I'm not completely useless, and I read an analysis Kurotsuchi wrote on the survivors. They managed to stay focused on less disturbing memories. It appeared that constantly attempting to escape one nightmare after another actually further fractured the consciousness and made the disconnect from reality more severe. It appears he may be right. I seem to be able to remember these sorts of things without quite losing track of where I am."

"That's good. You think you can keep doing that?

"For a few minutes. Focusing is a bit tricky. Bit like trying to keep track of one voice in a crowded room, if they're not trying to talk to you and everyone else is yelling in your ears. It helps when you talk. Your voice drowns them all out."

"That's something. I'll do what I can to help you, but right now I need to know if you can make us a Garganta to Karakura. We need to get there now."

"I can rip a hole between dimensions, but there's no way I could focus well enough to stabilize it, but, Shiro," he said, and he was suddenly very focused. "You don't want to go to Karakura. That's where Aizen is. He's going to kill everyone who's there. You need to go back to Soul Society and find your mother while he's still occupied. There's a box in my office with everything you need to disappear in Rukongai. It's in the bottom shelf--"

"I'm not running," Toshiro said angrily. "You know I won't and Mom isn't going to either. You know that. We're going to fight, and no matter how strong Aizen is we're going to win."

Gin shook his head. "You can't. You can't win, Shiro. His illusions are perfect. They can't be--"

"Captain Ukitake can destroy them."

"Ukitake's tired. He won't last long, and even without the illusions Aizen is one of the strongest captains; he can easily take you and me both. Yama-ji might be able to beat him, but Aizen had a plan for him--he's had a hundred years to plan. He is ready for everything."

"He can't be ready for everything. No one can predict every possible move another person could make. I doubt he even thinks you can get us back to Karakura. He wouldn't have left so few Arrancar to try to stop us if he did. He thinks we're trapped, so if we can get there in time--"

"Shiro, you can't--"

"I can, and I will. He's only had six months to plan against me and only three weeks that he's known he'll have to fight you, and who knows what Urahara will come up with. We're not hopeless," Toshiro wanted to yell at his father. He'd spent his entire life dealing with a father who was so arrogant and so sure of himself he looked down on absolutely everyone, and did his best to make them all feel like failures, Toshiro included. It was infuriating to find out that behind the mask there was no confidence at all.

"I'm useless now. Couldn't even manage to take out a fraccion in this state. If you go you should leave me behind. You'll try to protect me, and there's no point. This chemical in my veins is going to kill me. If you--"

"Don't say that," Toshiro snapped. "You're going to make it. A few people did, and you're going to be one of them. You are strong. Maybe you've forgotten, or you've been comparing yourself to Aizen so long you haven't even realized how strong you are. You killed Nnoitra. That proves you are strong enough to pull yourself together if you need to. If Kuchiki can fight left-handed you can fight while holding back the crazy. Don't tell me you can't."

Gin looked over at Kuchiki. The other captain was looking somewhat better. Most of the bruises and smaller injuries were gone. He was left with a gaping wound on his face that Ukitake had no idea how to repair and a missing arm that even Unohana could not replace without effort.

Gin smiled. "He looks awful," he said, sounding pleased.

Kuchiki turned narrowed eyes on him. "And yet some might consider the injuries to your face an improvement," he answered.

Gin continued to smile. "I suppose I ought to thank you for coming after me. I might have let Grimmjaw kill me otherwise, couldn't seem to get my head in the game. I appreciate it--also, sorry about getting you captured. You probably would have been safe if you'd gone back with Kurotsuchi. So thanks. I suppose I owe you."

"You owe me nothing," Kuchiki answered coldly. "Your wife is caring for Rukia. It is for her that I came back for you."

"She got you, too," Gin said happily. "That proves it. Ran can win anyone over. I think it's the combination of infinite courage and infinite kindness. How can anyone resist that? You're just like her, Shiro. They're always going to love you, too. You can be just as happy as she is if you can resist the urge to keep everyone at arm's length like I do. Just remember you don't want to be like me."

Toshiro frowned back at Gin. Since when was he kind? That had to be the first time anyone had ever told him he was anything like his mother, and he didn't appreciate it any more than being compared to his father. He was his own person, and he wasn't going to be like either of them. But now really wasn't the time to worry about it. "Can you open the Garganta now? I'll stabilize it. We have to go."

Gin stood slowly. "Alright, Shiro, one Garganta to Karakura coming right up."


	83. Chapter83

Kira's eyes went wide. Soifon was gone. They had no Captain to fight beside them. He didn't understand why neither Captain Ukitake nor Toshiro had been sent, but Kurotsuchi couldn't join the fight. He was maintaining the barriers to protect the city, and even if he left that to his squad, his poison shikai and bankai could not be used in the middle of a battle as closely packed as this one. Even he must see he'd kill more allies than enemies if he tried to attack.

Wabisuke made it possible for Kira to hold his own against the Arrancar, weighing down their weapons and forcing them to use only distance attacks, but he couldn't break away to help anyone else, and they were all struggling. He'd seen Renji go flying more than once, but he was most worried about the unranked division members fighting Gillians. There must be at least a hundred Gillians left, even if there were no more coming, and the division members were dying faster than they were. He could not help his people. His captain had left them in his care, and he was failing them.

Division Four had arrived, but they had hundreds of injured civilians to help before they ever made it to the battle field.

Then a new massive reiatsu was felt approaching. After Tosen's appearance, all the shinigami were wary. As many as could were retreating from the fight, looking desperately in the direction of the approaching reiatsu. Even Kira was watching.

All of the sudden enormous cheer rose up. Zaraki Kenpachi appeared, climbing over the ruins of the town, grinning like a mad man, and on his heels was not only the entirely of the Eleventh but also Yumichika with the Fifth.

Kira watched with more joy than he could ever remember feeling as the Eleventh poured into the fight. The Third and the Sixth were getting the backup they so desperately needed. He was not going to lose the Division.

The Fifth scattered across the battlefield, and for a moment Kira was at a loss to figure out what they were doing. Then he saw one pair lift one of his bleeding men from the ground, and another picked up an unconscious child from the ruins of a home. A fourth brought up a shield when a cero flashed in their direction. They were rescuing the wounded.

The entire Gotei was reenergized. Ikkaku jumped into the middle of Renji's fight and immediately knocked one of the Arrancar out of the sky. Yumichika appeared beside Kira, smiling like he'd just run into him on the road. "I don't mean to butt in, but three on one seems unfair. I thought I'd offer to give you a hand if you'd like."

"I heard Tosen nearly killed you," Kira answered. "Looks like they were mistaken."

"They patched me up alright," Yumichika answered. "I couldn't miss the big fight."

He blocked an attack from a female Arrancar. "Looks like you all were in some trouble before we got here. Where're the captains?"

"Captain Soifon is fighting Tosen in there," Kira said, motioning to black bubble of Mumyo. "None of the others have come. They may have been sent to Karakura if Aizen's attacking there now. This may be a distraction."

"As long as we have Captain Zaraki--" Yumichika broke off because at that moment Tosen's bankai vanished.

Soifon was falling. Omaeda, who Kira had not even noticed before, raced to catch her, and in the sky above Tosen was looking down at them. He was covered in Suzumebachi's black butterflies, but Soifon hadn't managed to hit him twice in the same place while trapped in his empty world. As she fell, the butterflies vanished, and Tosen turned away.

"Tosen," Kenpachi shouted. "It's my turn now."

Tosen glanced back. "No, I will not waste my time on someone so far from the path of justice."

He looked over to the Espada who had still made no move, but stood still in the sky. "Yammy, your time has come."

The larger Espada grinned. Rather than dropping to the ground to face the captain, Yammy began to grow, transforming into a giant multi-legged monster, crushing the wreckage of the town beneath him and scattering both shinigami and Gillians in every direction.

"I will kill you. You tiny shinigami captain. I am the Zero Espada. The strongest of all the Espada. I will crush you and your army beneath my feet."

Kenpachi only laughed. "Well, you're big, that's for sure." He laid his zanpakuto against his shoulder as he continued to look up at Yammy. "We'll have to see how strong you are."

The monstrous Espada drew in a deep breath and as he did glowing red reishi gathered in his mouth, forming into an enormous ball. Shinigami directly in front of the hollow scattered, even the unranked could recognize the forming of an enormous cero.

Kurotsuchi could be seen, rushing forward to reinforce their barrier before it was too late. "Hold your ground," he shouted, as he reached his people.

Yammy turned his head suddenly, away from Kenpachi and Kurotsuchi and directly toward the gate. He released the enormous cero with a roar. Those in its path didn't even have time to scream before they were devoured by its blaze. The cero cut through the un reinforced section of the Division Twelve line and enveloped the entire crowded roadway in a wide line all the way to the gate.

When its blazing light faded the gate was gone--and so were the hundreds of people who had fled the Gillians down the main road. Nearly all the shinigami in its path were gone too, dissolved by its power. Kira saw Lieutenant Kotetsu on her knees having shielded only half a dozen people on the now empty street and Kurotsuchi stood on the edge of the blast line with one hand up and a reiatsu shield crumbling around him. He looked seriously annoyed.

Kurotsuchi's voice could suddenly be heard by every shinigami outside the walls. "Shinigami fall back. Eleven take rear guard. Clear a thousand yards around the Arrancar of every living soul."

Then he drew his zanpakuto and started walking toward the towering hollow. "Ashisogi Jizo, rip," he commanded, and a cloud of purple smoke began to flow out in a deadly fog from the zanpakuto.

The shinigami fled, barely guarding their backs. Gillians were one thing, but Kurotsuchi's poisons were legendary. Even the Eleventh were willing to retreat to escape the blast radius of his poisons.

"Gillians, kill him," Tosen directed.

The herd of Menos Grande turned from their pursuit of fleeing shinigami to swarm the scientist. Kurotsuchi turned in annoyance toward his lesser prey. Even if it wasn't his intention, he had bought time for the shinigami to finally clear a field of battle.

And in the open gate, with Captain Unohana by his side, stood General Yamamoto. Even with the Gate destroyed, none of Aizen's army were going to be able to enter Seireitei.

Kira was no longer worried. This distraction was not going to succeed. They would triumph. Then they would join the others in Karakura if that's where Aizen was.


	84. Chapter84

Aizen lifted his left hand casually. "Hado 88: Hiryu Gekizoku Shiaten Raiho."

Zangetsu did almost nothing to shield Ichigo as he was engulfed in the enormous blast. The road crumbled beneath him, and an entire warehouse behind him collapsed. He went down, unconscious and buried in rubble. Aizen raised his hand again to finish him off.

He threw Kyoka Suigetsu up, blocking one of Kyoraku's blades as he attacked from above, and flashed back, barely manage to dodge the second as it swung at his throat.

"Now, Sosuke, you didn't count me out already, did you?" The older captain asked, as they parried blow after blow.

"Don't forget me," Shinji declared, shunpoing in and barely managing to catch Aizen's arm with his zanpakuto before the ex-captain dodged.

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Luppi knocked Kaien back and turned to shout at Halibel's fracciones. "Get your own prey! This lieutenant is mine!"

"Who wants to help you!" Apacci shouted back at him.

"Watching you die does sound more entertaining," Sung-sun admitted, with a hand modestly raised to her mouth to hide her smile.

Mila Rose laughed. "Look at that! We've finally found something we agree on."

Luppi jumped back from Kaien and sent a cero, not at him but in the direction of the three fracciones. They scattered, shouting insults, but after that they ran off, looking for someone else to fight.

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Nearly half a mile away, Hachigen finally managed to bring down the last of Barrigan's fracciones with a kido blast, but he and Love had sustained multiple injuries in the fight. They had thrown themselves at the Visored with fierce determination. After they lost their first member to Hachigen's kido they closed in, attacking him at close range where he was weakest. Love couldn't shield him from every blow and took damage himself protecting the kido master, but in the end, bleeding and battered they had prevailed.

Only Hachigen wasn't given a chance to heal them. Immediately Dordoni and Zommari appeared in their place. Love blocked Zonmari's blade at the same moment as Dordoni's foot connected with Hachigen's back sending the Visored flying a hundred yards to smash through the windows of an empty office building.

Love tried to go after him, but Zommari was instantly in his way, not only that but he was surrounded by clones created by Zommari's Gemelos Sonido. He would not be able to assist his friend until he had defeated the fastest of the Espada.

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Yoruichi stood as she sensed the immense presence of an Espada approach. "Here they come, Kisuke," she said, lightly as she focused on the treeline only a dozen yards away.

Behind her, Urahara could not respond. It was taking all of his energy to maintain the barrier that blocked shikai and resurreccion. It was a barrier that had been a mere theoretical possibility until the power of the Hogyoku made it possible. Maintaining it still required his complete focus. He was entirely dependent on Yoruichi to protect him from any attack.

Not that she minded. Yoruichi smiled as the Espada cleared the treeline. He was a gray-haired and heavyset man with the bent back and stooped shoulders of an old man. He held a massive, two-headed axe in one hand, and on his head was the remnant of his hollow mask, a white bone crown.

"Well, look at that," Yoruichi said in her casual, teasing tone. She felt no concern for her safety despite the reports Kyoraku had passed on from Soul Society and Ichimaru Gin. She was confident she was a match for the First Espada. "It's the god-king Las Noches--Barragan's your name, isn't it? I'm Yoruichi. It's nice to meet you."

"You smile only because you do not understand. I am death. No one can escape me," he answered.

"Yeah?" Yoruichi answered. "We'll see about that."

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"General Yamamoto," Tosen said, his voice carrying above the sounds of battle on the earth beneath him. "You of all the Gotei are most guilty of injustice. You sit above all others, leading them on, ignoring the true crimes of your army, and focusing instead on preserving the corrupt order Noble Court of Seireitei. Every act, even the most innocent, becomes evil when it protects corruption and injustice."

Unohana stepped away from Yamamoto, walking swiftly toward her injured lieutenant and the few people Kotetsu had managed to protect.

For a moment Yamamoto watched her, before he answered, "You have caused great pain and suffering today, Tosen. You say it is for the sake of justice, but there is no justice in slaughtering the innocent, not even for a great cause. And Aizen's cause is not great

"Today, I have brought your destruction. With the power of the Hogyoku, Aizen-sama created a being whose sole purpose is your end. Face it and despair."

At that moment the Espada Ulquiorra released the collar of the strange, crouching Arrancar.

The Arrancar Kira had been battling turned, watching the young-seeming Arrancar race toward Yamamoto. Kira and Yumichika did the same. It was horrifying to watch even an Arrancar run so eagerly toward death, but they could not turn away.

Yamamoto easily knocked the boy back with his staff, sending him into a building on the edge of the scorched earth of Yammy's cero blast, but he immediately hopped up and flew back, swinging his fist at the General. Again the General knocked him back and again he returned.

"Stop this," Yamamoto commanded when the boy flew at him again. "You cannot even hurt me. Why do you continue this pointless attack?"

He sent the boy smashing through even more distant houses. The townspeople were clearing out as quickly as they could. Shinigami were hurrying them away from any imagined shelter they had found. If the General drew his zanpakuto no one would be safe.

The Arrancar howled and attacked again. He did not even seem to comprehend Yamamoto's words, and no matter how far he was sent flying he did not seem to take damage.

Finally Yamamoto held up his staff and freed Ryujin Jakka. "It seems I have no choice but to end your life by my hands," he said with a sigh.

Again the boy moved forward to attack, but this time Yamamoto moved to meet him. There was a great crash as they met where the main road had once been. Every eye was focused on their battle.

Kira almost missed it. The moment the General was no longer blocking the gate, Ulquiorra moved. The speed of his sonido was impressive, but Kira chased after him. As Yamamoto sent flames at the young Arrancar, Kira raced after Ulquiorra into Seireitei.


	85. 85

I won't be posting today. I haven't been able to write. My dog's in a great deal of pain from hip displasia and we're going to have to put him to sleep. It's so much more awful than it sounds. He's been such a good dog, the gentlest, sweetest German Shepherd you could imagine. It's so hard to let him go, but there's nothing we can do to help him—anyway I'll be posting again as soon as I can. I just can't focus right now.


	86. Chapter86

Kira trailed after the Espada. He couldn't match Ulquiorra's speed. It was like trying to keep up with a captain. It was a relief when Kira watched him pass the refugee camp inside the wall, but it only confirmed his certainty that he knew the Espada's goal. He had been sent by Aizen to make sure Rangiku and her children did not somehow escape Seireitei. He would capture or kill them before the battle had even moved inside the walls--and there was no way Kira could stop him.

In desperation, Kira raised a hand, knowing the best he could do against this Espada was to annoy it, and called out, "Hado 31: Shakkaho."

The blast of red reiatsu slammed into the Espada's back. If it did any damage Kira couldn't see it, but it did bring him to a stop.

Ulquiorra turned slowly, with infinite calm, and when his eyes came to rest on Kira, he looked at him with an utterly indifferent gaze. He raised his right arm with that same calm and pointed one finger at the shinigami.

Green reishi began to gather at his fingertip, a glowing ball of power growing quickly in intensity.

It wasn't until that moment that Kira realized the camp he had just passed, of more than a thousand refugees, was directly behind him, directly in the path of a cero that could possibly rival the one the giant Yammy had spat across the outer city to destroy the gate.

Dodging wasn't an option. Sekisho wouldn't be adequate. There was only one barrier he could think of that might be strong enough to shield everyone and not the best chance he could pull it off. He began chanting.

"Bakudo 81: Danku," he said, and the barrier formed just as the Espada released the cero.

The wide rectangular shield took most of the cero's force, but buildings crumbled as reiatsu splashed outwards, scorching the city on both the left and right of the shield. Behind him people screamed, but it was out of fear not pain; he had managed to shield the camp.

Ulquiorra leapt forward as the shield dissolved, and Kira only barely managed to dodge a hand aimed at his throat.

The Espada paused again as Kira hopped back onto a crumbling rooftop.

"You are Ichimaru's lieutenant, are you not?" he asked, looking at the badge on Kira's arm.

"I am," Kira answered.

"Then you are determined to die to protect his family? I will not chase you if you choose to run instead."

"I'm not running," Kira answered, raising Wabisuke. He knew he wasn't strong enough to defeat Ulquiorra, but running was not something he would ever do. "I am the one fate brought here to stand against you. If fate brought me here to die then I will die, but as long as I live I will not fail my duty to Captain Ichimaru."

"Aizen-sama has determined you all must die," Ulquiorra answered. "So perhaps it is just as well that you die now, accepting the inevitable, and choosing the place and purpose of your death. This is how you try to give meaning to death which has no meaning."

"I will accept my fate, but I will not allow it to be meaningless. If I cannot stop you then I can at least delay you. Others will come. I am not the only shinigami willing to risk my life to protect Rangiku-san and her children."

"Then I must not waste my time on you," Ulquiorra answered.

He raised his hand once more, and again Kira was barely able to get a barrier up before a cero was slamming into it, knocking him to his knees. This time the barrier broke. It had taken most of the force of the cero, but Kira was still badly scorched by the blow and around him many buildings crumbled. He could only hope no one else had been within the blast radius.

By the time Kira was back on his feet and looking around the Espada was already speeding away.

That Kira had not expected. He realized in that moment that he was not fighting a hollow. Hollows didn't run from fights, especially fights they could win. Their entire existence was devoted to death and destruction. They were an expression of the pain that had created them. They destroyed everything and everyone they could

But Arrancar were different. They had regained their reason if not their hearts. The ones he had left outside the gate had not been fighting, he realized, because of a simple drive to destroy. They fought, like he did, in the service of a cause. It was a depressing thought, killing an Arrancar was not like killing a hollow; it was like killing a shinigami. It was a tragedy. Aizen had created an army of independent, thinking beings with no other purpose than to be destroyed.

Aizen could have chosen so many paths for his Arrancar. With the power of the Hogyoku and his genius, maybe he could even have found a way to give these hollows back their hearts, but all he had ever cared about was his power and his glory. The Arrancar were nothing but a means to an end, just like Hinamori, so carefully molded and trained, she had never been anything but a tool to serve Aizen.

Aizen was the real monster, even these Arrancar, even the Espada going after Captain Ichimaru's family, could not compare.

As Kira chased after Ulquiorra he was even more aware of how terrible this war was. Even in victory there would be so much sadness. Not just the lives of their own people but also the lives of their enemies would be wasted for Aizen's ambition.

But there was no other option. Kira raised his hand and sent another red blast, "Shakkaho," at the Espada.

Ulquiorra dodged without even seeming to be aware of the attack. He barely slowed as he turned and sent a line of bala back at the lieutenant.

Kira was forced to dodge, slowing him further, and increasing the distance between them. He could see the Third up ahead, and he couldn't think of one way to catch up in time.

"All fire, now," Nanao's voice rang out, shocking Kira beyond belief as every kido user from the Eighth and Thirteenth Divisions suddenly appeared on the rooftops lining the road to the Third and fired off the strongest Hado they could manage.

The Arrancar stopped and turned, looking over the men and women who had dared to attack him, all but one.

As the others had been attacking Nanao had been chanting, and as the flashes of reiatsu cleared, she raised her hand, pointing at Ulquiorra. "Bakudo 62: Rikujokoro."

A beam of yellow reiatsu shot from her hand, joined by five others, catching the Espada around the middle, and holding him in place, at least for a moment.

Nanao did not give him the time to break free from the prison. Immediately, she called out, "Sokatsui!"

The kido users on the opposite side dodged out of the way as an enormous wave of blue fire engulfed the Espada and the buildings beyond him. When the flames cleared he was still standing, and his expression was unchanged, but there were signs of scorching on his face and clothing.

He turned his head to look at Nanao. "You are stronger than you seemed before, Lieutenant of the Eighth Division."

"You had me at a disadvantage," Nanao answered, and her voice was filled with barely contained fury. "But this time you will not come near my child."

"Is that why you did not fight? Even though I could have ended your life in an instant?" Rikujokoro's beams shattered suddenly and he drew his sword. "Is that what they call a mother's love? You were willing to die in the hope that I would overlook your child? You both would have died if I had not been under orders not to kill anyone in Ichimaru's house. Your love accomplished nothing."

He moved forward suddenly. Kira barely managed to get between him and Nanao in time, catching the Espada's blade with his own, quickly hitting the blade twice as he blocked.

Ulquiorra leapt back. He looked from Kira to his sword. "What did you do?" He asked, looking puzzled.

"Every time Wabisuke makes contact it doubles the weight of the object it touches. With only a few hits even you won't be able to lift your sword," Kira answered.

The Espada raised his sword and said, "Murcielago, enclose," and green reiatsu fell over him like rain.


	87. Chapter87

I just wanted to thank everyone for all the kind words—I've always heard putting yourself out there on the internet is risky, but all I've ever received from all of you is kindness and support. Thank you

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Yoruichi cursed as she once again blocked Barragan's attack. Kisuke had been right, his anti-hiero armor could also protect her from Barragan's aging field, but it wasn't fair she was having to pull her punches. While the once king of Las Noches could hit her as hard as he wanted, and she had to try not to be flung into anything important, she was also having to try not to knock him out of the park. Not allowing Karakura to be destroyed was after all the main goal of this battle. It was infuriating. After this was all over she was going to tell Kisuke off good for not managing the fake Karakura switch that had been such a handy part of Plan A--and she didn't want to hear any more excuses about how everyone had been in a hurry either.

xxxxxx

Kensei watched Mashiro fall, the second victim of Halibel's ceros. He started to go after her, but one of Ichigo's friends appeared on the road below and ran out to catch her just before she hit the ground. That was Risa, Hiyori, Rojuro, and now Mashiro, half the Visored down with Love and Hachigen struggling against two more Espada, and Shinji with Kyoraku's help only just holding on against Aizen. Kensei was pretty sure he didn't think much of Urahara's seal on their Visored powers even if it had been the only possible way they had a chance against Aizen. It didn't seem like enough of a chance.

He leapt forward to meet Halibel in the sky once more. The woman was insanely fast and strong. He wasn't sure how long he was going to last either, not with the number or ceros she could release in the middle of a fight. It was the first time he ever wished he'd bothered to integrate kido into his fighting style.

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Hachigen was struggling to breathe with multiple cracked ribs, and the pain in his broken arms made kido near impossible, but he had finally trapped Dondori within a barrier. It was simple after that to call the kido that finally disintegrated the Arrancar. It was far more difficult to force himself to struggle to his feet and head back to the battle where his friends were still fighting for their lives.

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"Where do you think you're going?" A voice called out as a white arrow of light struck Mila Rose in the back.

The three fracciones turned. They had been headed toward the center of the strange barrier, agreeing that it was worth the risk to try to slip past Barragan. If they could manage to kill the shinigami creator of the barrier they would gain glory for themselves and their queen.

All three of them were annoyed that the plan they had worked out had been interrupted, and they glared at the interruption. A white clad Quincy stood on a rooftop and with him were both Risa and Hiyori. The two Visored looked much worse for wear, but their expressions were determined as they faced their enemies with their zanpakuto drawn.

"What the hell are you doing here, human?" Mila Rose demanded, looking more angered than pained by the arrow.

"I'm a Quincy. It is my duty to protect humans from hollows like you," Ishida answered. He fired another arrow which she managed to dodge, barely.

"You sure you want to do this again?" Apacci demanded, looking down on Risa with skepticism. "You didn't do too well last time. You're depending on your friends to bail you out, aren't you?"

"That's what friends are for, baldy," Hiyori declared as her heel made contact with the Arrancar's face.

"Watch it, you damned midget!" Apacci snapped back, swinging at Hiyori. Within seconds they were in the middle of an all-out fight, insults traded back and forth as quickly as blows.

"I suppose that leaves you to me," Sung-sun said, her sleeve-covered hand raised to her mouth.

"Don't think you're going to take me down easy," Risa answered, swinging her zanpakuto.

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The general was down. Only Kenpachi seemed undisturbed by his fall. The other shinigami, who had finally been holding their own, were giving way. Members of every division were completely abandoning any attempts to evacuate civilians safely and had joined their terrified run from the battlefield. Unohana and Kotetsu were trying to hold a few shinigami together to evacuate the injured, and they were the last to leave.

There were still nearly a dozen low ranking Arrancar in the sky with Tosen and Yammy facing off against Kenpachi, and nearly a hundred of the towering Menos Grande.

The two captains, Kenpachi and Kurotsuchi, and three others, Renji, Ikkaku, and Yumichika were all that still stood between Tosen's army and Seireitei.

Renji, Ikkaku, and Yumichika couldn't even engage all the Arrancar, and several ignored them entirely to make breaks for the open gateway.

Kurotsuchi finally brought out his bankai and created an enormous wall of poison gas that even an Arrancar could not pass safely through. Two fell to the ground, completely paralyzed, before the others realized the danger, and Tosen ordered all his forces back from the poison captain.

Tosen gazed down at Kurotsuchi with clear disgust. "You are corruption itself," he said. "You do not even understand the meaning of justice. Like Yamamoto, you must be destroyed before a new order can exist."

Kurotsuchi stepped forward, walking across ground charred by the general's fire, and the hideous, golden, baby caterpillar-like Ashisogi Jizo moved beside him. "Justice? What is this nonsense? I understand killing for a purpose, if something useful can be learned, but of what use is this wholesale slaughter? I think justice is a word you have made up to defend your desire for violence. Why else would you kill so many? I doubt even Aizen could see much point in the deaths of so many powerless wretches."

"Sacrifices must be made," Tosen answered. "All is done for the greater good."

"Justice, sacrifices, the greater good," Kurotsuchi said, and he paused to look down at the charred remains of some person who would never be identified. He did not care except that he would probably be receiving whatever could be retrieved of all these bodies, and he would be expected to try to identify as many as possible. It would be a ridiculous waste of time--much like this was. "I do not bother with such concepts. Science has no need of it. Science sees reality as it is. Your justice, your sacrifices, and your greater good all attempt to redefine and reshape reality, but reality is. You cannot change it."

"Aizen will," Tosen answered. "Aizen will rise above the King of Heaven with the power of the Hogyoku and rewrite reality itself. He will make the world a just world."

"Will he?" Kurotsuchi said, looking interested for the first time. "That is an interesting idea, rewriting reality. It could be done, with enough power, but the risk of destroying reality instead would be high. It does explain why Urahara Kisuke never used the Hogyoku. He did not like to take great risks. I am impressed that Aizen is willing. I wish he had spoken to me. I--"

"Enough!" Tosen cut him off. He drew his zanpakuto and turned it in a slow circle. "Suzumushi Nishiki: Benihiko." The zanpakuto left a circle of dozens of swords in its wake, and at a gesture from Tosen, they all rained down on Kurotsuchi.

The mad scientist raised his hand. "Sekisho," he said with no real concern, and every one of the blades bounced off his shield. "Now, beyond being a more just world do you know what sort of world Aizen is planning to create?"

Tosen rushed at him and immediately Kurotsuchi dodged behind the fume spewing form of Ashisogi Jizo. Tosen was forced to jump back, too, to escape the poison gas.

"I have no intention of attempting any sort of swordplay with you," Kurotsuchi told him. "It is my very obvious weak point, as I have already had pointed out to me this week, thank you. And as long as my bankai is active I believe yours will be useless against me. We might attempt to exchange kido for a while, but, while I am more skilled than you, you are mobile enough to make up the difference. I believe we are at an impasse. It is an interesting situation, is it not? Don't worry. I will think of some way to kill you before too much time has passed."


	88. Chapter88

Kira was barely able to hold his ground as the green reishi cleared and Ulquiorra stood before them in his resurreccion form. The reiatsu he radiated was close to unbearable, and his appearance had transformed. Great, black bat wings spread out from his back, casting him entirely in shadow. His robed form only vaguely visible, except for his eyes. They blazed a brilliant green. He looked like what he was, a bringer of death.

He raised a clawed hand to strike, and Kira knew that Wabisuke wasn't going to be enough to block the blow.

"Oi! Bat-boy, I'm pretty sure I'm the one you're looking for," a voice called out, sounding very strange to Kira's ears. That voice and those words simply did not match.

He looked over as the Arrancar turned. Nemu, in a pretty pink flowered kimono knelt in the middle of the road where she had set down some sort of small metal disk. There was also a katana by her hand and she picked it up as she stood.

Her expression was very un-Nemu-like. It was hard and determined and when she looked at the Espada a fierce smile spread across her lips.

Ulquiorra was staring back at her with narrowed eyes. "Who are you?" he asked suspiciously.

"Right," she said quickly, and her left hand when to her right wrist, touching a metal band. "I'm not supposed to be out here--had to disguise myself to get past my guards."

Kira's eyes widened in surprise as the woman's appearance shifted. Strawberry-blond waves replaced a black braid, rosy cheeks replaced ivory, and large grey eyes took the place of emerald green. She grew a little heavier and a little taller and her face now fit the expression it bore. Rangiku stood in Nemu's place, holding Haineko to challenge Ulquiorra without the slightest trace of fear.

"Ichimaru Rangiku," the Espada said. He dropped to the road and started walking toward her. "You have correctly guessed the reason I am here. I am under orders to bring you and your children back to Las Noches, to Aizen. Ichimaru betrayed Aizen for you. It is only right that Ichimaru watches you die to pay for his betrayal. Then he will know the true despair that comes with knowing that all of his efforts failed before he dies."

Rangiku's eyes widened and her hands tightened on Haineko. "Aizen has Gin?" she said quickly, not able to keep the rising panic out of her voice.

Kira felt sick. Suddenly it made sense, Kurotsuchi returning from his mission, but his captain and Captain Kuchiki staying behind. There was no reason they would have stayed in Hueco Mundo. He was naive not to have realized what had happened. They were Aizen's prisoners.

"Your Gotei sent him to us," Ulquiorra answered. "They must have known he would be captured. He would have chosen to die instead, but that was not an option Aizen gave him."

Rangiku raised her zanpakuto to attack, but a sharp voice cut her short.

"Wait!" Then, "Now!"

"Soren Sokatsui!" Nanao said, releasing the Hado only inches from Kira.

At the same moment a circular barrier of yellow reishi went up, trapping the Espada in a golden cage with blue flames that roared on and on, swirling within the imprisoning barrier.

"Everyone, please move back."

Kira's head snapped in to direction of the second voice that sounded like Nemu's; this time it contained the calm, unemotional timbre it should. Nemu stood on the opposite side of the barrier from Rangiku, motioning everyone back. She had also set a silver disk on the road, and there were a dozen more the division members had set on the rooftops surrounding Ulquiorra. They were the source of the reishi cage that contained the Espada.

"We cannot estimate how long the barrier will hold," Nemu added.

Nanao repeated Nemu's orders and everyone fell back, watching the churning prison from a hundred feet away. Rangiku and Nemu joined Nanao and Kira on one side of the cage. Then Kiyone and Sentaro from the Thirteenth joined them as well. Nearly all the ranking officers from their division and the Eighth spread out nearby.

"What's going on?" Kira finally asked.

"We worked out a sort of a plan," Rangiku told him. "We knew Aizen might send someone after me. We were determined to be ready this time."

"That's an experimental barrier Nemu borrowed from the Twelfth. It's meant to maintain kido indefinitely," Nanao explained. "It probably won't last much longer. It can hold against a mid-level kido for quite a while, but the Espada won't have much trouble breaking out if he's half as strong as he seems."

With that she began another chant, focusing on the temporarily imprisoned Espada.

"Bakudo 75?" Kira demanded. "Can that hold it?"

"For a few seconds," Rangiku answered. "If we're lucky. Nanao knows what she's doing when it comes to kido. I'm sure she picked the best. But that's only part of the plan. You and me, we hit it with everything we've got the second its down--and get out of the way the instant it breaks free, and whatever you do, stay beside me, got it, Kira?"

"Why?" Kira demanded, but at that moment the shield burst, and the Espada was free.


	89. Chapter89

Kaien hit the road with a resounding crash, smashing a crater into the asphalt. The force of the blow turned the world black for a second and knocked the air from his lungs. Nothing was broken, though, that hadn't been already. His hand tightened on his zanpakuto as he tried to pull himself together one more time.

Too late--as he looked up the smirking Arrancar released a cero. There wasn't even time to register what had happened before the blast was washing over him--or around him. Directly in the path of the cero a man was standing, holding up a drawn blade, nothing but a black silhouette against the blazing cero.

As the light faded, he was very surprised to see who had shielded him.

"Captain Isshin?" The once captain jumped up into the air, slashing his zanpakuto through a very startled Arrancar.

As Luppi fell, Isshin looked down at Kaien and said, "The hell were you thinking, letting a chibi-Arrancar knock you around like that? Go try to make yourself useful and give Kensei a hand with the freaky blonde."

Before Kaien could answered. Isshin took off in Aizen's direction.

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"Tosen!" A thundering voice roared from across the ruined field of battle. Komamura had arrived, flanked by his lieutenant and Lieutenant Hisagi. They had come, faster than their divisions could travel, to the call of Seireitei in danger.

Tosen turned slowly to answer the call. "I knew you would come," he said calmly. "It was fated we would meet in battle one day. I am the one who must defeat you. It brings me no joy for I know you are but a pawn of the Gotei, and like me you are a true seeker of justice. You are yet another victim of the corruption that has poisoned all of Soul Society. It is unfortunate."

"No, Tosen," Komamura answered, closing in quickly. "It is you who are a pawn, a pawn of Aizen. You have been corrupted. You have turned away from the true path. I will open your eyes to the truth."

Hisagi started after the captain, but Yumichika set off a brilliant red explosion of Shakkaho to break off from his own fight and shunpoed into Hisagi's path.

"We've lost the General and Captain Soifon," he said quickly. "And we think Captains Ukitake and Toshiro have gone to fight Aizen. If there are no captains in Seireitei, Nanao will be in charge of the city's defenses, and an Espada made it through the gate. Only Kira managed to follow him. She doesn't have any other backup."

Hisagi pulled his eyes away from his captain and looked toward Seireitei. The gate was barred by Kurotsuchi's poison smoke. Nanao was on the other side. Nanao who had responsibility for the Eighth, and the Thirteenth if Ukitake was gone. She would see herself as responsible for the entire city. She would defend it. Even with no fighting ability worth speaking of, she would try to face down an Espada.

"Damn," he bit out and raced down to Kurotsuchi.

"Let me through!" he demanded.

The scientist gave him a look. "They are all most likely already dead, and we will have to hunt down that Espada after this battle is over. Your presence will not make a difference. You will only be one more lieutenant we have to replace," he said, but he pulled back the cloud of poison from one side of the gate. "Go quickly. I cannot allow any of these Arrancar to follow you."

Hisagi darted through the gate, vanishing from view almost instantly.

Kurotsuchi was about to close the path when Unohana appeared beside him. "Just a moment. There should be at least one captain within the city. I will go and see if I can make sure we do not lose any of our more fragile lieutenants."

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Hachigen reached the broken window frame where Dordoni had knocked him into the building and looked out. Love was nowhere to be seen. There was only the Espada, Zommari, turning to face him.

"Where is my friend?" Hachigen asked.

"He has fallen, like you will, wretched shinigami," Zommari answered. "It is the way things should be, you who hunt hollows. You should fall before us, we who have risen high enough, who Aizen-sama has given the strength to defend ourselves against you. It is our purpose to destroy you. We will live, and you will die."

Hachigen brought his hands together in a single clap. The Espada had made a mistake, taking the time to make a speech when he should have been attacking. The other had been smarter than that, keeping Hachigen defending physical attacks was the only way to prevent him from casting. "Roppo Fujin," he said, and Zommari was trapped in the prison of six rectangles, impossible to escape.

Then Hachigen left him, hurrying to find Love among the wreckage.


	90. Chapter90

A jagged line of light split the sky and a Garganta opened. Aizen turned immediately, stopping his attack on Shinji abruptly, and dodging Kyoraku's backstab with a quick step to one side. His attention was no longer on either of his opponents. He was focused on four captains stepping out of the rift and down onto the roof of an office building before it abruptly slammed shut.

Aizen threw up his hand. "Raikouhou!"

Kyoraku jumped into the path of the enormous lightning blast. "Sekisho!"

The quick forming shield held, but Kyoraku was knocked back, flying back a dozen yards before me managed to stop, not far from where the newcomers were standing.

"Well, look at that," he said, smiling hugely. "You made it in time for the party."

"Shun, you're bleeding," Ukitake answered, with a very concerned expression as he looked at a gash that cut across his friend's collarbone.

"Yes, well," Kyoraku admitted, patting gingerly at the wound that had come a little too close to cutting his throat. "You're the odd one out this time, Ukitake. Everyone else is bleeding."

Ukitake frowned. They were all in fact bleeding. Toshiro had been scratched up by shrapnel even if he had managed to avoid his opponent's blade. Byakuya was still oozing blood from some of his more minor wounds, and Gin, he'd probably need a week in the Fourth before he'd even be recognizable. "Do you have someone here from Division Four?" he asked, finally.

"They have the human girl, Orihime," Aizen answered, appearing just beyond the edge of the rooftop. "Her abilities are remarkable. She may even be able to make something of poor Gin. What do you think, Shiro-kun? Do you think she might be able to put your father's mind back together?"

Toshiro turned to look at Aizen. Rage and hate burned bright in his aqua eyes. "I don't care how strong you are, Aizen. I am going to kill you," Toshiro said, drawing Hyorinmaru. "You're nothing but a monster, and I will never forgive you."

"Careful, Shiro-kun," Kyoraku cautioned. "Shikai and bankai have been sealed. I'm not sure you want to go out there with Hyorinmaru nothing but a sword."

"Shikai's sealed?" Toshiro repeated. "Then at least I'll know when I hit him."

He started to step forward, but a hand caught hold of his shoulder. It was his father's hand, and it tightened almost painfully. "Not yet," Gin breathed.

Aizen smiled, and his attention shifted to Gin. "So you are still with us for the moment, Gin-kun? Then, before we lose you again, let me reward you for all your very impressive efforts on behalf of your family."

It was only Hado 4, so low level not one of them should have had anything to fear from it, but Aizen put as much reiatsu into the kido as the pinpoint blast could handle. It passed through Toshiro's jugular with more speed and force than any bullet.

Toshiro stumbled back as blood gushed from his neck, and Gin caught him, sinking to the rooftop with the boy in his arms. His eyes were wide and terrified, and he clutched at the boy desperately. "No, not Shiro, not Shiro, please--"

Toshiro coughed up a spray of bright red blood, but he shoved his father's hands away. "I'm ok," he choked out, one hand on his throat. He was a captain. He wasn't going to be killed by something so small.

But Gin was still speaking in the same desperate and fear-filled tone. "Please, not Shiro. Please." As Toshiro pulled away Gin's blood-drenched hands went to his head, clutching at his hair, staining it red.

"Dad, I'm ok," Toshiro repeated, but this time Gin didn't react to his voice at all. His agonized muttering made it clear he was completely lost in some nightmare blend of reality and memory.

"Is he crying?" Shinji asked, appearing next to Kyoraku. "I'd a' bet money the little bastard didn't know how to cry, never met a creepier kid--you remember how he used to grin?"

Kyoraku nodded. "He still does that. I would have thought now was the perfect time for one of his grins. What's wrong with him, Shiro-kun?"

"He's been drugged," Toshiro answered, getting to his feet. He turned a fierce glare on Aizen. "He was barely holding on but you had to push him over--why? Was it because you just can't stand to miss a chance to watch someone suffer? Or maybe you're actually afraid of him, now that you know what he can do, now that you know he spent his entire life building a bankai that can kill you."

Aizen smiled at Toshiro. "You imagine, Shiro-chan, that because we held the same rank our strength was in any way comparable. Gin was a clever student, but he was never going to rise my level. I never counted him anything more than a servant. And, although I have always known he hated me, it amused me to keep him close. I have never feared him. I have only thought how much I would enjoy watching the fool who tried to use me die."

Toshiro jumped forward, bringing Hyorinmaru down with as much force as he could manage. Aizen started to dodge out of the way but Shinji was immediately in his way, and he was forced to move quickly to block both their blows.

"Byakuya-kun," Kyoraku said, turning his attention from the fight that was quickly moving away from them. "There are a few Espada left between us and Kisuke, I think, but we need to let him know you all have arrived. Think you can get from here to there without getting caught along the way?"

Byakuya glared at him for a moment. "I am not a messenger."

"Oh, well, don't worry about it," Kyoraku answered. "It is a lot to ask after everything you've been through. We'll do our best to get you and Gin-kun to Orihime as quickly as we can."

Byakuya's eyes narrowed further. Then he vanished.

"It's nice that he was taught to respect his elders, isn't it?" Kyoraku said. "I think he'd have run me through a few times by now, otherwise--I hope he isn't distracted into a fight."

"I only hope he doesn't faint," Ukitake answered. "I'm not much of a healer, and they'd torn him up pretty badly before we got there."

"He'll hold together out of sheer stubbornness, unlike this one," Kyoraku answered, frowning down at Gin. "Looks like we may have lost him for good."

"I wonder, Aizen may have been right, even if he said it only to mock Toshiro," Ukitake answered. "Orihime may be able to do something. We might take him to her."

Kyoraku shook his head. "Can't risk it. Kisuke's going to have to bring down his seal. We can't beat Aizen with it up. We've tried."

"Shun, we could accidentally level the city ourselves with even shikai."

"So you'll have to redirect any stray reiatsu back at Aizen. How long do you think you could manage that?"

"At my best not more than five minutes, now--"

"Five minutes it is. We'll throw everything we have at him. Something's got to stick."


	91. Chapter91

Orihime and Chad we're climbing down into the crater that Aizen's attack had left behind, searching desperately for any sign of orange hair. Chad was tossing aside large sections of the warehouse that had collapsed into the pit.

"I found someone," he shouted to Orihime and she looked over to watch him lift the long-haired Visored from the wreckage.

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"Bakudo 75: Gochutekkan," Nanao said, raising clasped hands. Five swirling beads of light shot up into the air and five chained pillars slammed to the ground around the Espada.

At the same moment, Nemu raised her hand. "Raikoho!" And a bolt of electricity burned through the air. Ulquiorra raised his left hand stopping the blast and leaving only faint singe marks on his skin.

"Haineko, growl!" Rangiku commanded, and the zanpakuto blade disintegrated, becoming a cloud of dust that rushed at the trapped Espada.

Ulquiorra ignored the dust as it slammed into him. It was completely unable to penetrate his hiero. It struck him over and over again, trying to find any holes in his shield. Rangiku clenched her teeth in frustration. Even Gin had had to put some effort into blocking Haineko.

Instead, the Espada stretched out his right hand, forming a green spear of glowing reiatsu. His expression remained unchanged as he struck one of the enormous columns, destroying his prison.

Kira ran forward, and Ulquiorra blocked his swing, sending him flying back into a broken building. He raised his green spear to throw and suddenly Rangiku was in front of Kira. Haineko was in her hand and she challenged the Espada. "Are you going to risk it?" she demanded. "You can kill him, but you might kill me too. I'll bet Aizen won't be too happy if he doesn't get his chance to torture me in front of Gin."

Ulquiorra paused, frowning very slightly. "Troublesome woman, what do you hope to accomplish? You are not strong enough to threaten me. No one here is strong enough. And you cannot stand forever between me and all of your friends."

He raised his left hand and a cero burst out, aimed at Nanao and the others.

"Danku!" Nanao nearly screamed as she brought up the wide barrier just in time. The cero splashed into it and Ulquiorra moved suddenly as it splashed back toward Rangiku and Kira, taking damage from his own cero to shield Rangiku.

"I'm right," Rangiku said, sounding triumphant. "You can't risk hurting me."

"I won't kill you," Ulquiorra agreed. "But there is a lot that can be done, short of killing you, that will get you out of my way."

He dodged back suddenly as a chained scythe passed through the space where he had been standing.

Kira took the momentary distraction to go after him, swinging Wabisuke at the Espada's back. Then Rangiku joined in and the fight was three on one, Hisagi and Kira dodging in to try to get hits on Ulquiorra while Rangiku pushed him as hard as she could, knowing he would not fight at full strength as long as she was right in front of him.

Those who could not fight him were getting out of the way quickly. Most of the division members scattered at Nanao's command. Only Sentaro and Kiyone stubbornly remained to defend their captain's wife. They stuck beside Nemu as she and Nanao moved clear of the fight.

The three lieutenants fighting with all they had, could barely match Ulquiorra holding back against them. It was obvious the two men were only trying to delay the Espada. They fought like they knew there was no chance any of them were getting out of this alive.

"Rangiku-san," Kira said as he dodged in front of her. "You have to run now. We can't hold him back for long!"

"All of you," Hisagi echoed. "Run. You can't fight him. You have to hide!"

"I've done enough hiding," Rangiku answered, moving to attack.

"We can give you a chance to escape, you have to run," Hisagi said, but he wasn't looking at Rangiku.

Nanao ignored him. Instead she began reciting the words of a kido. The words were completely unfamiliar to the other three lieutenants, but they could feel the power growing to form a high level kido.

Beside her Nemu reached out a hand, "Rikujokoro," and six beams of light caught hold of the Espada.

"Get out of the way!" Rangiku shouted at Kira and Hisagi. "Get back!"

They didn't question her, following her lead as she ran from the pinned Espada.

"Seiji Koten Taiho," Nanao said.

Spears of light appeared in the air around her. As she pointed toward Ulquiorra they launched forward. One after another they slammed into him, piercing him. Then they exploded in a brilliant burst of light, the force of which sent all three lieutenants tumbling back. Even Nanao was close enough to be knocked a step back by the force of the concussion.

When the blast cleared, Ulquiorra stood in the center of a crater. His clothing was shredded, and his skin was scorched, but his expression was completely unchanged.

Slowly his head turned. His attention had left Rangiku and turned to Nanao.

He was barely ten feet from her when Hisagi caught up, jumping into his path. Too recklessly, he left himself open, an Ulquiorra's green light spear passed through his stomach.

"No!" Nanao shouted, and only Nemu grabbing hold of her stopped her from running to him.

Rangiku and Kira had made it by then, forcing Ulquiorra back from their fallen friend. He was slower now. He had clearly taken serious damage from Nanao's attack, but not enough. The two lieutenants still weren't making any progress against the Espada.

"Why do you keep fighting? You will not win," Ulquiorra asked, and he looked away from Rangiku, back toward Nanao, now on her knees. Beside her, Kiyone was calling up a healing kido. "Why heal the fallen when you will soon join him?"

"Hado 31: Shakkaho!" Nanao shouted, and Kira and Rangiku barely managed to dodge back before the red blast hit the Espada.

Nanao was on her feet and glowing with rage. "We will not die!" She shouted at him. Then, "33: Sokatsui!" A wave of blue fire slammed into him. "Shakkaho!" Another blast of red. "Shakkaho!" And another.

Kira and Rangiku could only stand back and watch, shocked and more than a little terrified as Nanao poured every last ounce of her strength into attacking. She used lower-level kido so she wouldn't even have to pause and the attacks came so quickly they seemed to overlap. Neither had ever seen anything like it before. Blast after blast washed over the Espada, turning his surroundings to ash as he took it. He did not even move from his spot, standing completely still as the kido hit him.

When it was over Nanao collapsed, completely exhausted and the air cleared.

Ulquiorra raised his bowed head, shrugging off any injury. and with the same expressionless gaze, looked over his enemies.

Rangiku's hand tightened on Haineko even as she knew this was it. She and Kira had no hope against Ulquiorra alone. Nanao had been their only trump; if her kido wasn't enough there was nothing left for them to do.

"Is that all you have, Shinigami?"

Suddenly there was a figure behind him and a zanpakuto swung in a graceful curve through his neck. The Espada exploded, bursting into light like any other hollow.

"Captain Unohana," Kira gasped.

Unohana sheathed her zanpakuto calmly before looking over the lieutenants. Her expression was the same calm, peaceful half-smile as always. "You did very well, all of you," she said, gently. "I expect you all to report to Division Four as soon as you are able."


	92. Chapter92

Kuchiki Byakuya came to an abrupt stop in front of Shihoin Yoruichi. She was sitting in the grass at Urahara's feet, rubbing her shoulder and grumbling to herself.

"Yoruichi-san," Kuchiki said coolly, taking her attention away from her own annoyance.

"Hey, Byakuya-kun," she said, looking up and grinning. "I could have used your help—" her eyes shifted to his missing arm. "Or maybe not. Bet that hurt."

"Kyoraku sent me to let Urahara know we have arrived from Hueco Mundo," he said, ignoring her comment.

"Everyone make it back alright?" she asked, getting to her feet and stretching each aching joint.

"Ichimaru Gin has been incopacitated. The others are well enough," he answered.

"Yeah?" she said, smiling. "It's always nice when a really stupid plan works out."

Then she turned. "Oi, Kisuke, you hear that? We've got four more captains—well," she looked back at Kuchiki and frowned. "Two and a half-ish. Anyway, you can let the barrier go."

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Toshiro went flying, slamming into a building. He screamed as Aizen sent the electric bolt of Raikoho straight into his chest. He fell to the ground gasping in pain and choking for breath.

He raised his eyes in time to see Shinji get sent flying and suddenly Aizen was back at the building where Gin, Ukitake, and Kyoraku were.

Kyoraku blocked a sword blow but the shockwave sent cracks into the building.

Toshiro pulled himself to his feet. Kyoraku couldn't fight Aizen alone, not and shield Ukitake and Gin. He needed to help. He took a deep breath. He wasn't as used to fighting injured as most shinigami probably were, but he could do this.

"Aizen!"

His eyes shifted to a man he'd long thought dead. Even though he'd heard from his father that Shiba Isshin was alive, it was still a shock to see him standing there, alive and well, with a zanpakuto in hand.

Aizen turned as well. "So you have decided to face me after all, Isshin?"

Isshin flew at him and soon Aizen was completely occupied fighting Toshiro's predecessor. Toshiro sighed in relief. He hadn't been sure how much longer he could last. The fight against Nnoitra had taken a lot out of him. Then Aizen's shot to his throat had done more. He could help others, but he knew there was no way he could hold his own one on one against Aizen at this point.

He felt the barrier go down then. That was a relief. He could feel Hyorinmaru's strength surge through him. Even bruised and beaten he wasn't powerless.

Now it was time to come up with a plan.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As the shield went down, Kuchiki vanished. Yoruichi called after him. "Don't do anything stupid, Byakuya-kun!"

He had done Kyoraku his favor, but he had no interest in being useless in the battle.

He had seen three Arrancar smashing up a couple girls who appeared to have shinigami powers and the Quincy who had accompanied Ichigo to Soul Society. They had not seemed to be doing very well when he passed them.

He looked over the wrecked street with narrowed eyes. It had gotten worse. The Quincy appeared to be unconscious on the street and the little blond girl was bleeding profusely. The last girl, who had already looked injured, was trying to get back to her friend while fighting back two of the Arrancar.

He might be missing an arm, but Kuchiki Byakuya had never been useless. He drew his zanpakuto. "Senbonzakura, scatter."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Toshiro was hoping to hear something good from Kyoraku, but the old captain was frowning very seriously as he watched Isshin take on Aizen.

Beside him, Ukitake stood burning with reiatsu as he held in bankai, watching but taking no action until absolutely necessary. It was a very concrete reminder of just how short their time was.

Then there was his father, still on the ground with his head bent to his knees and his hands like claws trying to dig into his own head. "I can't. I can't. Please," he mumbled.

He turned away. There was absolutely nothing he could do for his father at the moment.

"Seireitei is under attack," Kyoraku said abruptly, the moment Toshiro looked back at him. "One of Kurotsuchi's men got through. Yama-ji has been taken down. We will not be getting help from them."

"How's Ukitake?" Toshiro asked.

"Aizen is waiting him out. He's playing with us. He's keeping me pinned here, and you can see how he's fighting Isshin; he's not taking any risks, not going for the win. All he has to do is keep us busy until Ukitake gives out to activate his shikai. Then we're helpless."

"How long?" Toshiro asked.

As if to illustrate just how precarious their situation was Ukitake coughed, spraying blood over his shihakusho and haori.

"Not long then," Toshiro said.

He turned to his father. They needed exactly what he had, a way to kill Aizen now, only how could he possibly fight Aizen when he couldn't focus for more than a few seconds.

An idea was forming, it was a desperate plan but it could work. And there wasn't anything else he could think of that even had a chance.

He went to his father and grabbed his hands. Dad!" he said as he pulled Gin's hands away from his head. "Dad, it's me. It's Shiro."

Gin raised his head slowly. "Shiro?" He frowned at the boy. "Shiro, are you ok?"

"What do you mean—I'm fine. It's time, Dad. It's time to kill Aizen."

Gin frowned. "I should have taken my chance. I was afraid, if I failed—what would he do if I tried? If he caught me? I can't risk it."

"It's time now!" Toshiro said, trying to pull back his father's attention as it started to wander. "It's time! I promised you a chance, and this is it. Right now, this is your chance. You want to kill Aizen? You have to do it now."

Gin looked at Toshiro. "My chance?" he repeated.

"You've spent your whole life working toward this. You were willing to do whatever it takes. You've made it. This is everything you've ever wanted. You can kill him. You can make us safe."

Gin finally really seemed to focus. "I can."

He got to his feet abruptly. His eyes went to Aizen instantly. For the moment, at least, he seemed completely resolved.

The distance did not matter, but Aizen never left himself open. Even Isshin could barely get in a hit. Toshiro saw exactly what his father saw. There was no chance of even a single shot connecting.

"Shiro," he said, and Toshiro could hear his resolve weakening already.

"Trust me," Toshiro said. "Please, you can do this. You have to. I will get you your shot."

Gin nodded slowly. He drew his zanpakuto. He took a long moment to pull together his scattered reiatsu. "Kamishini no Yari."

Aizen immediately looked in their direction. He knew the risk if Gin could pull off his bankai. All he had to do was not get hit.

Toshiro called out, "Daiguren Hyourinmaru!" Ice formed claws on his feet and wings on his back. He dived forward, pulling the cold with him. Pulling Hyorinmaru's icy strength into himself. He had pulled ice from the blade, brought ice from the sky. This time it had to be ice from himself.

He slammed into Aizen with all his strength. Aizen easily blocked his blow, but Hyorinmaru's chain had wrapped around his wrist. It was a stupid move. Aizen easily countered his next swing and jerked him off balance with his own chain.

Aizen swung Kyōka Suigetsu into Toshiro's unprotected side. Ice burst out from Toshiro, exploding outward, freezing the blade in place and encasing his arm in ice.

For a split second Aizen was completely caught in a frozen trap and in that instant Shinso pierced his shoulder.

"Kill, Kamishini no Yari."


	93. Chapter93

The damage to Karakura's industrial district had been considerable. Kyoraku sighed at the sight of multiple city blocks in ruins. Thankfully, there had been very few humans there during the late night hours and it had only required the simplest of barriers to keep out emergency workers. But to do so much damage in the World of the Living, it hadn't happened in centuries. If Central 46 was intact it would probably mean a years worth of hearings. As it was, well, he'd take full responsibility with Yama-ji.

He was probably going to be getting into a lot of trouble for today. He turned the strangely shimmering sphere in his hand. It was a beautiful thing, and powerful. Kyoraku could feel its power as he held it. There had never been anything like it.

Urahara had appeared almost the moment he'd caught it, falling from Aizen as he disintegrated. Kyoraku had never seen the shopkeeper look as worried as he did, watching Kyoraku hold the Hogyoku. For the moment, though, Kyoraku ignored him.

They were surrounded by the wounded. If it weren't for the Visored they would never have been able to stop the town's destruction, but they had all paid for their part in the battle. Shinji, Kensei, and Hachigen were walking wounded, doing what they could to help the others, all unconscious, but one hoped not bleeding out while they waited for healing. The girl, Orihime, looked exhausted. She'd healed Ichigo and the Quincy, and now she was on to Kaien, who'd been taken down by the female Espada--thank goodness the moment Aizen was gone she'd ripped open a Garganta and vanished; who knew what it might have cost to actually bring her down.

Of the captains who had come from Hueco Mundo, Gin was the only one who was still conscious. Byakuya and Ukitake had both passed out the moment the fighting was over; there was only so far willpower could take anyone. Byakuya had done really amazingly for missing an arm, but then Senbonzakura was the perfect weapon for the circumstances. He'd taken out the last three of the fracciones.

Toshiro was the most worrying. He'd taken Hyorinmaru's power and run it through himself to freeze Kyoka Suigetsu on contact, but he also appeared to have frozen himself in the process. His skin was hard as rock and freezing cold, and covered with a fine dusting of frost. Kyoraku had a terrible feeling it might not be reversible.

The boy's father knelt beside him. The horror of the present was enough to hold his focus for now, but the words and emotion that spilled out was a reminder of the poison that had completely shattered his control. He was apologizing and begging the child to be alright without ceasing. It was strange and pitiful to see Gin so completely broken.

There was so much suffering here, and word had yet to come from Soul Society. For all Kyoraku knew they could still be fighting and dying there, and in his hand was so much power. He wondered. Could he undo all the damage Aizen had wrought?

"It cannot be used," Urahara said, answering Kyoraku's thought. "The power to grant the heart's deepest desires is too great for any person to wield. It would corrupt even the purest of hearts. One doesn't have to start, like Aizen did, with the desire to rule over everything. Even the desire to help others can easily be corrupted by the Hogyoku's absolute power. Righting the world's wrongs would become ruling over the world, every world, to prevent any wrongs. There is no way to wield it without falling into its trap."

"Perhaps you're right," Kyoraku said. He knew Urahara was right. They had been very fortunate with Aizen. If he had completely awakened the Hogyoku's power and united it with himself he might have been impossible to defeat. Any other person wielding the Hogyoku would be just as much beyond the abilities of the Gotei to control. It could not be given to anyone.

"If you take it to the Gotei, sooner or later they will be tempted to use it. There is no way a source of so much power will be left untouched, and when they use it, whoever does will face the temptation of its absolute power. We should not have to fight this war again."

Kyoraku frowned at the jewel in his hand. Those who ruled over Soul Society had already expressed the desire to have it returned to them for safekeeping. General Yamamoto had ordered him, particularly, to retrieve it if there was any possible way of doing so. It was to be made a treasure of Heaven. The more he thought about it, though, the less he liked the idea of putting it in their hands.

"I doubt hiding it will work a second time," he told Urahara.

"No, it has to be unmade. Orihime will be able to do so. Her power is unlike any other. It completely rejects what has been done, not simply rewinding time, but making it like it never was. She can completely erase the Hogyoku from existence. It is the only safe path."

Kyoraku knew the choice was his. He could wait for the other captains to be healed, to allow them a say, but he knew they would follow his lead. In the end, the only reason to wait for them would be to share the blame for the decision. It was better to do it now, so he would be the only one to face the consequences of this choice.

He held out the glowing stone to Urahara. "You were its creator. I will leave it to you to see to its destruction."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rangiku stood very still with Miyako and Nemu beside her. A team of medics had been dispatched to The World of the Living as soon as they had been available. There had been so many wounded here that it had taken nearly a day before they had finally made the trip, and now they were coming back. All they had heard so far was that everyone had survived. That was enough.

Kaien stepped through first, side by side with Captain Kyoraku. In a completely uncharacteristic public display of affection, Miyako ran forward and threw herself into Kaien's arms. They hugged and kissed, and Kaien was his smiling, happy self. Rangiku was sure the Shiba family would have something to say about it later, but she doubted either of them would care.

Then there was the team from the Fourth, and Byakuya was with them, doing a much better job being an arrogant and always emotionless head of his house. Like Kaien, he showed no sign of injury, and Rangiku remembered the Ryoka, Orihime who had so completely repaired Rukia. It made her wonder why they had needed Division Four at all. What was there that the girl couldn't cure?

More members of the Fourth stepped through the Senkaimon then, and they carried a stretcher. Nemu calmly stepped forward to meet them. Of course, Captain Ukitake would collapse, and he was beyond Orihime's abilities. That made sense.

Then Gin stepped through, and Rangiku felt a moment's relief. Despite the blood on his clothing he looked uninjured, but it only took her a second to realize something was very wrong. Gin never walked with his head bowed. He never shuffled along like he was doing now, and then she was that the two Division Four members walking beside him were actually guiding him.

She took a step forward, fighting the urge to panic. And then they brought Toshiro through the Senkaimon. He was carried on a stretcher. The first thing that was visible was the red splashed across his white haori, and that was enough to set her running, but his skin was blue, a horrible pale blue, frosted over with ice.

Rangiku was by his side in an instant. "Oh, Shiro, no! My baby, no, please!"

The Fourth Division members held her back as she reached for him, and she only half-heard Unohana speaking to her. "He is still alive, Lieutenant Ichimaru. We will take him back to the Division, and we will see what can be done. You must do your best to remain calm."

Rangiku took a step back, nodding, trying to accept Unohana's instructions. "Oh, Gin!" She reached for her husband automatically, desperate for any support, but he didn't respond.

She turned, confused, and saw that he was being led away. It had to be the first time in her life that he had passed her with no acknowledgement whatsoever. "Gin?" She whispered.

"Please, come with me to the Fourth, and we will discuss both their conditions," Unohana said, gently.

Rangiku nodded, feeling far more helpless than she had the night before, facing an Espada with the strength to tear Seireitei to bits, but that was how she always was. She wasn't afraid of danger that could be fought. It didn't matter what the odds were, she could face it. But this, both of them, again, it was too much. All she wanted to do was run.

Instead she walked to the Fourth beside her son, staring at his frozen face and fighting the urge to weep.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Kurotsuchi Mayuri did not appreciate being summoned to the Fourth Division. Captain Unohana was in no way his commanding officer and he made a rule of not being cooperative toward other captains unless it was absolutely required. On the other hand, the woman was terrifying, not that he would ever admit that. He decided he could probably consider this a favor he could call in at a later date, packed up the necessary collection of chemical solutions--which he had to carry himself, no thanks to Nemu--and headed to the Fourth.

He was further annoyed by the fact that some low level division member had been sent to meet him and lead him to the captain. It was somewhat satisfying to see that the man was terrified of him, but it could hardly make up for the rudeness of having been given such an unimportant escort.

The young man finally opened a door and announced, "Captain Kurotsuchi is here, Captain."

Unohana raised her head to greet him with that strangely peaceful smile of hers which always put him on edge. Who knew what the woman was actually thinking. She stood beside the patient, unconscious on a bed. The Ichimaru woman was also there but he could ignore her. She was out of the way, standing beside the other bed where her son lay frozen. Kurotsuchi thought he might try asking to examine the boy after he was done with his father. You never knew, his mother was absurdly protective, but she might just be desperate enough to let him take a look now.

"He is asleep?" Kurotsuchi asked, turning his attention back to the subject. Almost none of the test subjects had been able to sleep after the drug had been administered.

"I placed him in a dreamless sleep. It seemed like the best way to slow the damage," Unohana answered.

Kurotsuchi crossed the room to look down at the subject. "This is most likely a complete waste of my time," he said. "I would not even bother to come, but I heard he was still able to respond to questions. That suggests his brain is not structurally deteriorating as occurs in ninety percent of test subjects. I will administer an antidote that neutralizes the active chemicals in the formula, however during the time the formula has been active neural pathways have been rewired. In the best cases, the test subjects are left with frequent, vivid flashbacks, in the worst the effects are not reversed and the test subject is dead within twenty days."

At that the Ichimaru woman gasped.

"We will hope for the best," Unohana said, and she stepped back, allowing him access to the subject.

It was all very boring. If the subject had been conscious, he would have panicked and perhaps even fought. The administration of drugs could bring up so many unpleasant memories, especially for his test subjects, but Unohana kept him asleep and said she would continue to do so until the formula had taken full effect. At least she promised him a full report on the patient's reactions. He was always interested in gathering more data.

All in all, the whole thing really had been a waste of time, and he was feeling pretty annoyed as he was being led out of the division. But then he passed an open door and heard a very familiar voice.

"Nemu," he said, turning abruptly.

The girl looked very strange to him. He would never get used to seeing her out of uniform, and he really didn't understand how anyone could think that a kimono, however nice, could possibly do justice to the perfect figure he had designed. Also, she was smiling. He knew she did that now, but he still didn't like it. But worst of all was the fact that she sat side by side with Ukitake Jushiro, and she looked comfortable there. He had not designed the perfect lieutenant to be anyone's little wife.

No, he had designed her to be his lieutenant. She had been useful, and she would be difficult to replace. More than that he didn't want to replace her.

"Nemu," he said more loudly, "You must return to work as my lieutenant."

He watched anger flash in Ukitake's eyes, but the man swallowed it. It was amusing, in a way, knowing the man could control Nemu, and even wanted to, but because of some sort of moral belief, would not even try.

Nemu simply looked thoughtful. "You fired me," she said finally.

"I have changed my mind. You were designed to fulfill a purpose. I should not deny you your purpose."

"You will accept I have rights equal to any other lieutenant?" She asked.

"Of course, of course," he agreed with a wave of his hand.

"You will not ask me to do anything that could endanger me or my pregnancy?"

He looked her and Ukitake over for a moment. "I think you are right, Nemu, to see it through. Even without genetic modification there is an above average chance that your child will be both more intelligent and more attractive than Captain Kyoraku's granddaughter. I will enjoy telling him so."

Ukitake raised his handkerchief to his mouth, but his cough sounded suspiciously like a laugh.

"Very well," Nemu said, nodding firmly. "I will report to the division as soon as I am officially reinstated."


	94. Chapter94

Rangiku stroked Yuki's hair as she watched Shiro. The hours were passing in a painful stillness. Miyako had offered to keep both the little ones with her, but Rangiku had decided she'd probably go mad if she'd had to sit there with nothing to do but watch Shiro sleep--

And Gin. She turned to look at him asleep in the bed against the opposite wall. At least they had known what was wrong with him, and they had treated him. He would be waking up soon, and she was sure, absolutely and completely, that he would be alright. She couldn't allow herself to doubt. There was too much to fear with Shiro-chan; no one was even sure what had happened to him.

He was so cold that she could feel the chill radiating from him from where she sat, nearly a foot away. She was not permitted to touch him. His skin, they told her, was cold enough to burn.

At first they had tried to warm him, but he'd only grown colder, as though something within him was fighting the heat, and they had given up. It was his own reiatsu that was freezing him. It was up to him to bring it back under control.

She looked up at the sound of a knock at the door and immediately called out, "Come in." She knew people were trying not to bother her, but if she had her way she'd have a constant stream of visitors telling her everything was going to be alright.

After a second, Kira peaked his head in. "Do you mind if I come in, Rangiku-san?"

"Of course not, Kira. You're not going to bother them. Please come in."

Poor Kira looked awful. He had a bandage on his face and another around one arm, and his shihakusho was fitting funny because of another over one shoulder and across his chest. She wondered why he was in uniform when he should probably still be a patient here.

"Kira, why aren't you resting?"

He smiled at her, that always sad smile. The Third had a rough time in the battle at the wall. I needed to get back to work as soon as possible to try to keep things together. I'm here to check on our injured--and everyone's been asking about the Captain. They want to know when he'll be coming back."

Rangiku smiled at that. "They actually want him back?"

"He's a hero now, Rangiku-san," Kira answered. "He and Toshiro both. They stopped Aizen. We of the Third are very proud of our captain."

Rangiku blinked back a sudden flood of tears. They were proud of their captain, of Gin. Finally, everyone knew. He was not and had never been a monster. He had been fighting for all of Soul Society his entire life. He had given everything he had and everything he was to defeating Aizen, and now they knew. And they called him a hero. "Thank you, Kira. Thank you for telling me that."

"He is going to be alright, isn't he?" Kira said, and then he looked over at Toshiro. "Unohana is going to be able to fix them, isn't she?"

"Captain Kurotsuchi gave Gin something to stop the damage the drugs Aizen had given him were doing. It will probably leave some lasting effects, but Gin, you know him, he'll find a way to manage them. He always does."

Kira nodded. "And Toshiro, I mean Captain--"

"No one knows," Rangiku said, cutting him off before he could decide what he should call Shiro. "His zanpakuto may have gone out of control. That's what Unohana told Isana when they were in the hall. If it has, he has to get it back under control before it devours him."

Kira stared at her for a second, before he realized he had to say something. "I'm sure he'll do it, Rangiku-san. He may be a child, but he's as strong as any captain. Some people say he's going to be as strong as General Yamamoto someday. He can't lose to something like this."

Rangiku tried to smile. "That's the problem. He may have unlocked all that potential before he's ready for it."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Toshiro had never thought he could be too cold. He loved winter and snow, and the icy winds everyone else complained about filled him with energy. His own inner world was a world of perpetual winter, stark mountains and white glaciers that sparkled in the sunlight. It was where he had always felt most comfortable.

Until now. He wandered without direction in a blinding snowstorm. Winds buffeted him from every side, blowing with such force he was knocked off his feet again and again. For the first time in his life he was shivering. His fingers and toes had gone numb. His bones ached as the cold reached deep inside his body and drained his strength. His movements were becoming slow and clumsy and all he really wanted was to sleep.

But he knew he couldn't fall asleep, not here. It would be the end of him. This storm would kill him.

That wasn't going to happen. There was no way in hell he was going to let a snow storm kill him. He was stronger than that. This was his world. He would rule over it; he would not be beaten by it.

The storm roared in response to his thoughts, and he could hear Hyorinmaru's roar above the wind. This storm, it was Hyorinmaru. It would surrender to him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ran?"

Rangiku turned at the sound of Gin's voice. An enormous weight was lifted as she watched him slowly sit up and smile at her.

"I seem to have survived," he said as he stretched out his stiff joints. "That was unexpected." He stumbled over the last word as his eyes came to rest on Shiro.

"You did it," Rangiku said, forcing a smile. "You and Shiro. Captain Kyoraku said you were the ones who beat Aizen. All that time you worked so hard, it was worth it. We won because of you."

Gin hadn't taken his eyes off his son.

"He's going to be alright," Rangiku said quickly. "It's just—he's getting Hyorinmaru under control. You know how strong it is, and he's so young. He pushed it, but he's going to be fine."

"That's what Unohana says?"

"She—" Rangiku broke off helplessly.

Gin nodded. Then he smiled hugely. "Course he'll be alright. I made it and I'm not half as strong as he is, not half as stubborn either. That kid's never let anything beat him."

He flinched; it was nothing but a catch in his smile, gone so fast Rangiku wouldn't have noticed it if she hadn't been looking for it.

"You're still seeing things, aren't you? They said the poison made you see your past like you were there, and they weren't sure how well they could fix it. Is it better than it was?"

"This is nothing. Who doesn't want a better memory, anyway? I just remembered little Shiro-chan and how much he hated not being good at something. Wasn't it cute the way he seemed to think things were being difficult on purpose, like kanji'd been designed to annoy him?"

"You thought he was cute?" Rangiku said in disbelief. She remembered Gin teaching Toshiro as a battle of wills, neither of them willing to give an inch, despite sharing a common goal. She had hated it and thought it pure misery, but apparently that was one of those times Gin's smile had not been fake.

"Course I did. Who wouldn't, a teeny tiny ball of fury like that? He was adorable," he said, stretching and yawning hugely. "You know, I've never thought I had much in the way of good luck, but I may have to revise that. Aizen's dead, and I'm still here. Seems to me my luck must have turned. Shiro's going to be just fine."

Rangiku looked back at her son, still blue-skinned and dusted with frost. He was still alive. He was fighting for control of his own reiatsu, but Gin was right, there was no way Shiro was going to lose that fight.


	95. Chapter95

Toshiro could hear fury in Hyorinmaru's roar and feel the ice dragon's desire to kill in the wind and the cold. This storm wasn't any sort of training. It wasn't a new challenge to be conquered, like the struggle to master bankai. This was the zanpakuto using all of its power--all of his power--to bring death to his inner world.

He couldn't understand it, and that was frightening. Since the moment Hyorinmaru had manifested, he had felt at one with the weapon. There had been no struggle like he had seen with so many other shinigami and their zanpakuto. He had no inner demons to fight, no secret depths to his soul that he struggled to face. He understood himself and so he understood his zanpakuto.

Until now.

"Speak to me!" He shouted into the wind. "What's wrong with you? Answer me!"

"I've finally found you."

Toshiro's eyes widened as the wind parted around a glowing reiatsu shield, and there, in the midst of his inner world, where no one but he and Hyorinmaru should ever be able to enter, was Aizen Sosuke.

"Your zanpakuto has been hiding you for days now. It has been shielding you from me with this storm," Aizen said as he slowly stepped closer.

The winds and swirling snow of the storm took the shape of a dragon, crashing into Aizen's shield, massive teeth trying to puncture the barrier, but Aizen's shield held.

"How?" Toshiro demanded. He understood Hyorinmaru's rage now. He had been invaded. His mind and soul were under threat. If Aizen destroyed him here, he would die and Aizen would continue in his body. He would freeze himself to death before he let that happen.

Aizen smiled. "Gin's bankai was enough to destroy my body, but in those few seconds my will was still strong enough to activate the Hyogoku. It answered my desire to survive, allowing my consciousness to flow through Kyoka Suigetsu, into your unguarded mind. A child's mind is so much weaker than a man's, so much of it is still unformed. It was a simple task, carving out a space for myself here. You are strong, Toshiro, but you are still only at the beginning."

"You think I'm weak because I'm young?" Toshiro said, and his hand went to his zanpakuto's hilt. He drew Hyorinmaru, and the strength and fury of the blinding storm, that he had thought was directed at him, became a part of him. "That's the last mistake you're ever going to make."

He raised the zanpakuto into the air. "Hyorinmaru, reign over the Frosted Heavens!"

The entire world went still. He pulled all of the storm's strength into the icy blade. The power was his. The world was his. He ruled over it all.

He leapt forward, slamming the blade down into Aizen's barrier, all of Hyorinmaru's strength, all of his strength, focused on the edge of the blade.

It caught on the shield and ice spread out over the globe in the swirling and feathered pattern of frost, turning Aizen's shield into a prison of ice. Then it shattered, as fragile as the frost it had become.

Kyoka Suigetsu met Hyorinmaru as Toshiro swung again.

"You are not going to win this fight, boy," Aizen told him, and his answering swing hit with enough force to knock Toshiro back. "I am far more powerful than you. I have reached beyond the strength of a mere shinigami."

He attacked and Aizen blocked. Aizen was faster, and his skill was greater, and in a world that was nothing but a manifestation of will he was even more powerful. It every swing of his zanpakuto was the massive strength of his will, and Toshiro took one blow after another. The force of Aizen's reiatsu was crushing.

But as he was slammed back into a towering cliff of ice and hit nothing but powdered snow, cushioning him against the force of the impact, he realized something. This world in his entirety was his. It would fight for him

He charged at Aizen with a shout, and when he slammed Hyorinmaru into Kyoka Suigetsu, Aizen was the one who was knocked back. The surface on which he stood had turned to ice. It was slick of glass. Even Aizen's reiatsu could find no hold in it. Then the cold hit him; the temperature dropped even further and the cold Toshiro could barely endure was freezing the blood in his veins.

The wind tossed snow, no longer flew around Aizen. It caught on his clothing, his hair, his skin. The ice flowers of Hyoten Hyakkaso burst outward, and Aizen was finally trapped in a prison of Ice.

"Die already!" Toshiro shouted and he brought Hyorinmaru down on his frozen enemy.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Toshiro sat up abruptly, sparkling ice falling from him like snow. His breath clouded in the air before him, but the cold of his inner world was fading. He was alive. He'd won. It was all over.

"Good morning or I suppose I should say, good afternoon."

Toshiro turned to find his father sitting beside his bed. That was a surprise all on its own, but he was also holding Yuki. The baby was gnawing determinedly on her father's knuckle while staring very seriously back at Toshiro. Babies were very strange beings, but so were fathers who actually gave a shit.

"Why are you here?" He asked, gruffly. Even after all they'd gone through, it was still hard to accept that his father really was here because he cared.

"Only way to get your mother to rest," Gin answered, cocking his head toward the bed across the room.

Toshiro's gaze shifted to Rangiku. She was asleep, laying across the bed with her usual carelessness, arms flung out, bedding knotted and shoved aside, and cleavage on display.

"She's been up for nearly seventy-two hours watching you. I finally convinced her to let me take a turn. No one knew what was wrong with you. She's been--we've been worried."

Toshiro frowned down at his hands. His fingertips were hot and tingly with fading numbness. He'd never known what that felt like before. "I'm ok now. How about you?"

"I'm fine."

Toshiro raised his head to meet Gin's perfect fox-grin. He didn't say anything. He just waited.

"Who would object to clearer memories?" Gin said finally. "I'm always hearing people say how they wish they could remember one thing or another. Thanks to Aizen I have near perfect recall."

"I saw what that poison did to you. Those memories were as good as torture. They were tearing you to shreds. How can you be ok if you're still seeing them?"

Gin shrugged. "They're only memories now. They're not taking over the present. There's no locking them behind a door anymore, but that's probably for the best. If you were a monster, whatever the reason, you probably shouldn't be allowed to forget it."

No, he probably shouldn't, Toshiro had to agree with that. Gin should feel guilt and regret. There were things he had done that he should never really be allowed to move on from. He had ruined and ended so many lives. He didn't deserve to be able to forget.

But then again, Toshiro realized, his own anger had gone. Having seen that there was real pain and real regret locked behind that ever-smiling mask, he realized he could let his own anger and resentment go. "Just so you know," he said, looking away, and feeling stupid even to say it, but knowing he should at least once. "For all the stupid shit you did that effected me, I forgive you. And I love you."

"Ah, Shiro, I love you too!" Gin exclaimed and Toshiro found himself caught up in an enormous hug, squeezed up next to his baby sister.

Then the door burst open and there was a shout of, "Nii-chan!" Before Kin-chan landed on Toshiro's back, and joined the hug, half-strangling his big brother in the process.

Suddenly joy-filled laughter filled the room and Toshiro turned to meet his mother's smiling face as she watched her family welcome him back. "Aren't you glad, Shiro-chan, that you have a family to love you?" Rangiku asked, laughing even louder as he tried to frown back at her.

She joined them, throwing her arms around them all, and declared, "There's nothing better than family!"

THE END

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Well, here we are at the end. I hope everyone enjoyed it even half as much as me. I appreciate all of you so much for sticking with me to the end, and I especially appreciate all the likes and follows and reviews. Writing this and having so much feedback has really helped me through a difficult year, and I am so grateful.

I'm going to publish a little very silly and sappy epilogue and I guess I'll be done.

I hope someday I'll be inspired to write another fanfic. It's been an amazing experience.

Thank you


	96. Epilogue

This is a very silly bit I wrote just to make myself smile. It's completely divergent from any and all canon. It's just for happy

Rangiku watched Gin leave a table full of Nanao's close relatives. He was grinning hugely, and they were looking annoyed. Neither was surprising. They really shouldn't have invited him if they didn't want to be insulted, embarrassed or some combination thereupon. But then there probably wasn't any way not to invite the groom's father to the wedding.

Kinta married, the very idea made her cringe. Of course she'd seen it coming, everyone had. Like his father, Kin-chan had had eyes for exactly one girl. Aiko really had done her best to discourage him. She was a sensible, career-minded girl much like her mother, and Kin-chan, well, the best that could be said for him was that he was a very likable underachiever. In the end, it turned out there was one thing Kin-chan was willing to work for: Aiko. And like every other member of his family, when he put his mind to something he found a way to make it happen.

And Rangiku was happy for her son; she really was. And she loved Aiko, and having Nanao and Shuhei for in-laws would be fun, but really, she wasn't nearly old enough to have a married son. It wasn't right.

Gin finally returned to their table and he sat down next to Shiba, grinning. "Hello, Shiba-kun," he said pleasantly. "Maybe you can tell me because I haven't been able to work it out, are all the Kyorakus and Ises etc. more annoyed at me because I'm irritating or because they're actually having to treat a commoner like an equal?"

"I'm sure you're irritating enough that they've forgotten you're from Rukongai," Kaien answered. "I know I couldn't care less."

"Thanks for that," Gin answered, patting Kaien on the back. "I appreciate it."

Then he noticed the empty space beside Rangiku and asked, "Where has Yuki gotten to?"

Rangiku looked around. Her daughter was not exactly known for being social. She wouldn't have run off to be with the other young people.

"She's flirting with Kuchiki," Toshiro said in annoyance. He was sitting on the other side of Yuki's empty place, leaning on one elbow and glaring across the room.

Rangiku turned, following Toshiro's gaze across the hall to where Kuchiki Byakuya sat with his sister, several other painfully important people, and poor Renji. Her daughter was also sitting at the table, looking so beautiful it was almost painful. She was as pale as her father, and her hair was like a sheet of ice, perfectly straight and so long it touched the floor when she sat. It was drawn back out of her face with silver combs set with blue stones, combs Rangiku would not be surprised to find Gin had 'borrowed' from the World of the Living--he had a terrible habit of spoiling the girl. Yuki's face had her father's angles without the harsh edge, and she had her mother's wide gray eyes. She held her head like a queen and showed as much emotion as Byakuya himself. However she was not speaking to him. In fact, she seemed to be pointedly ignoring him as she spoke to his sister.

"She's not flirting with Byakuya," Rangiku protested. Toshiro had really scared her for a minute there. "She's not paying any attention to him at all."

"How do you think you flirt with Kuchiki?" Toshiro asked. "Be the only woman in all of Soul Society who dares look down her nose at him. She's driving him out of his mind."

Rangiku's eyes went to Byakuya. He was watching Yuki out the corner of his eye as he spoke to some noble or other. She could see it in the slight downturn to the corner of his mouth; he was definitely annoyed. She really hoped Toshiro was wrong and that was not the first step to attracting a Kuchiki.

"Well, that's easy enough to fix. I'll kill him," Gin declared, and if Rangiku hadn't caught hold of his arm he would have jumped to his feet.

"You think I didn't think of that?" Toshiro said. "You'd be playing right into her hand. Her dad or her brother tries to tell him she's off limits, and she'll be irresistible. There's never been anything he's ever been told he can't have in his entire life."

Gin's smile faded from his face. "Killing him is sounding more and more like the only solution," he said.

Toshiro shrugged. "Just don't make a scene. It's Kin-chan's wedding. Leave that to him."

Rangiku turned her attention to the extremely boisterous table of the bride and groom. Traditionally, they would sit on somber display in layers of uncomfortable silk clothing--to show off the wealth of their various families, Rangiku supposed. She had never before seen a really happy couple at a noble wedding, but Kin-chan probably wasn't even aware he wasn't behaving according to expectations.

Kin-chan had an arm around Aiko, and she looked more than a little drunk herself, what with the way she was leaning against him and looking up at him with a ridiculous doe-eyed expression. Kin-chan was definitely drunk and he was talking with great enthusiasm to a dozen of his closest friends, and anyone else willing to get drunk with him, which just happened to include his grandfather-in-law, Captain Kyoraku. It was, Rangiku was sure, in the minds of the noble half of the family, a terrible scene.

"I can't believe Kin-chan's going to be a noble," Toshiro said, as he watched his younger brother guzzle sake direct from the bottle. "On the other hand, his resemblance to Captain Kyoraku is frightening."

"You should join them, Ran, while there's still sake to go around," Gin suggested. "The rate they're going it's not going to last long."

"I'm good here," Rangiku answered.

"But you haven't had any sake," Gin protested, picking up one of the bottles on the table. "Here, let me--"

Rangiku's hand went over her cup. "I said I'm good," she said firmly.

Gin froze, and Toshiro sighed.

"Ran, that's not even funny as a joke," Gin said, finally.

Rangiku turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "When was the last time I joked about sake?"

"Rangiku, you know I would die for you, but if you think you're going to talk me into another baby at this point, when we're finally--" He broke off at her expression. "You're not trying to talk me into it, are you?"

"Have you ever heard the human saying, 'it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission'?" She offered.

Gin sighed. "And here I was thinking in another decade or two I'd be old enough to spend my days napping on the division roof."

"You did that last week," Toshiro felt it necessary to point out. "It took Kira four hours to find you."

"But I planned to take it up full time, maybe even work up a tolerance for sake, get a round hat--you know, the whole Kyoraku retirement plan."

"You'd be bored inside a week," Rangiku told him. "My plan is much better."

"How are midnight feedings and dirty diapers preferable to napping all day while Kira cries over paperwork?"

"When did you ever do any of that? It's going to be so much fun, Gin. We'll get to be Mommy and Daddy again, and we'll just spoil the new baby to within an inch of its life! It'll be just like before when we were young and everything was crazy. It'll be so much more fun than just giving up and getting old and fat and boring, and only having grandchildren to look forward to."

Toshiro groaned. "Oh, God, somebody mentioned grandchildren to you, didn't they?"

"That doesn't have anything to do with anything, and it isn't any of your business anyway," Rangiku snapped, and then she turned back to Gin, looking a little worried as she looked into his face. "What do you think?"

"Why not?" He said, smiling hugely. "If Ran-chan's happy, I'm happy. Besides, you're right, kids are great entertainment."


End file.
